Family Traits – #JusJoJan

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One day, out of the blue, my grandmother said to me, “You have a lot of Grindstaff in you.” This was the first time I heard this surname which is part of my ancestral line.

She made this observation because my arms were so freckled – a trait evidently passed down and attributed to this branch of the family tree.

Some of these relatives were part of the relocation efforts of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Prior to the entire town being flooded, people were moved from their ancestral homes. Cemeteries were moved, too, unless the families objected – which some did. I have read many of the interviews conducted and they contain such an air of sadness. It must have been hard for them.

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I avoid the sun a lot these days so many of my freckles have faded while a few have morphed into darker and larger age spots. Such a lovely gift from the aging fairy. I will take the aging gifts as opposed to the alternative.

I like to think of the night sky as freckled with stars. Maybe I’ll write a poem about that some day.

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Written as part of Linda Hill’s JusJoJan.

Prompt word today (freckled) submitted by little ole’ me.