Loading…
9
Update: My grandma finally talked about her time in a Japanese internment camp
She told me over tea last week that she never spoke before because 'some stories are too heavy for children'. Has anyone else had a family member open up about a painful cultural silence?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
daniel5525mo ago
That line about stories being "too heavy for children" really got me. My grandpa was the same with his war stories, just clammed up for decades until we were all adults. It's a weird relief when they finally share it, you know?
9
the_wesley5mo ago
Honestly used to get so frustrated when older relatives wouldn't talk about the past. Felt like they were keeping secrets. Hearing your grandma's reason, that some stories are just too heavy for kids, really flipped a switch for me. It's not about hiding history, it's about protecting people until they're ready to carry that weight. Makes me see my own family's silence in a totally new light.
3
iris_rivera443mo ago
Yeah I gotta admit... I used to think my granddad was just being stubborn or cold when he wouldn't talk about his childhood. I'd get annoyed like "why won't you just tell me" you know? But hearing your grandma say some stories are too heavy for children really changes how I see it. Makes me realize they were trying to protect us from carrying pain we weren't ready for yet. Now I feel kinda bad for pushing him so much back then... It wasn't about keeping secrets, it was about waiting until we were strong enough to hear the truth.
3