Marge's Sense of Place

An Interview with My Third Grandmother

     Since I don't have any living grandparents of my own, I interviewed my best friend's grandmother, Marge Forsyth, who was like another grandmother to me growing up.  Growing up in the backwoods of upstate New York, Marge had a very different sense of place than myself.  She lived on twenty acres of property just outside of the city of Auburn.  As a child, Marge says she would lose herself out in the woods, venturing out for sometimes the entire day, not coming home until dusk for supper.

      

      As I talked with Marge, she explained how different things were back when she was growing up.  She was born in 1918 and described to me how much things changed over the years, but was so proud to say that things were still the same out on that old property in upstate New York.  Although she doesn't have any family up there anymore, she took a visit ten years ago, just to return to the area where she has always felt most at home, even now at the age of ninety-four.  She was nervous to see how much the area had changed, but was so relieved to see that things were just as she remembered.  She took a walk down to the lake where she would sit and read books next to a big pine tree and sat there again, breathing in all of the fresh air, making her feel like a child again.

      My interview with Marge was so rewarding.  My talks with her growing up had always consisted of her family or things going on in my life, but I had never learned anything about her childhood until this point.  She has always been such a joy, so I'm praying for her now and sending positive thoughts her way, as Marge was just admitted into the hospital this afternoon.  She is a truly wonderful person and I wish her a speedy recovery.  

Here is a picture of Marge and her beautiful family!  That's little ole' Marge in the middle of the picture in the black and white and my best friend, Chelsea, on the very left.  This was my second family growing up.