Truly Blessed

In the final week of Writing the Family Saga, I wrote under the theme of ‘World at War’ and chose to write about how Margaret Jane Snowdon nee Lydeker must have felt when all five of her six sons returned from WW1 safely.

Margaret could finally breathe easy again as she watched her youngest and the last of her five sons step off the ship having returned from the Great War.  It had been many years since she had not felt like one of her beloved cats was constantly sitting on her chest. The feeling had eased bit by bit as each of her sons returned home until finally today it was gone.

She knew how lucky she was to have all her sons come home relatively unscathed when so many of her neighbors sons had not and at times had felt guilty about that.  It was not as if they hadn’t had their share of knocks at the door. Fortunately they had turned out to be telegrams informing them of a son’s injury or illness and not the ultimate unwanted letter.

Finally, Gordon made his way to her side and after a body crunching hug that seem to last forever announced that he had a surprise for her. It seemed her son had not come home alone and that a wedding needed to be planned.

Leaving the wharf with her son and his English Rose fiancé, Margaret was the happiest she had been in a very long time and was looking forward to getting to know her soon to be daughter-in-law.  Never blessed with having a daughter herself; she now had six.  What more could a mother want than knowing her children are safe, happy and loved.

Reflective Statement

According to family stories, Margaret quite often feel guilty when neighbors were losing their loved ones and her sons were okay.  It was also known that she would write to each of her five sons once a week while they were away.  That would amount to nearly 1500 letters over the span of the Great War.  I chose to focus on how relieved Margaret must have been to see her last son arrive home and surprised to find he was not alone. That finally the bad times were behind them and that she could look forward to happiness.

Snowdon Brothers