Great read as always and it details your strengths yet again as a woman/mother/beautiful being , I feel so much love & respect for you and your son and the way you have been able to cope with the harsh reality's of life when many other's couldn't, there are so many people out there who go through the same horrible experiences to which you have endured and they never recover but this lets everyone know we are not alone in our suffering. Thank you Frances X. Respect & X 2 All.
We need to remember that life has not suddenly become a struggle since Covid landed on our heads. It was always a risky business filled with amazing interactions and experiences, both good and bad. Young people need to know what life was like before everyone had a mobile phone and were permanently glued to computer games and the internet. They must be encouraged to live at full steam ahead. We are young for such a short while, then older and more sensible or even jaded or disillusioned. I want to show that we humans can survive some pretty heavy and tough times and even learn to be happy as a direct result of them.
I am really grateful for all the positive feedback I am getting on this series, so thank you for reading it, Christine! My family and friends have been nagging me for decades to write my story but I always said "Who would be interested in my life?" - turns out that a lot of people are loving it and their reasons are wildly different. Some like the nostalgia, the music references and history of the 70s. Others are shocked at how I coped (I didn't always cope!).... still others find the story raw, real and thought provoking, reminding them of their own struggles or of how grateful they should be for the relatively easy time they have had.
I didn't expect it to be popular - but it is and that makes creating it so worthwhile!
Besides all that, we do need to take imaginative breaks from the daily grind of fighting injustice and propaganda. We need to touch base with our humanity and set ourselves free from the horrific mind control that the media is constantly slamming down our throats!
Keep smiling Christine, we need you and your work to continue challenging the status quo.
Quite! I didn't see it coming at the time either. I might have avoided it otherwise but the cards were playing out and I seemed to be swept along in such a whirlwind. 1976 was the best and the worst of years.... but there is so much more to come.
Isn't it interesting (and a blessing, I believe) to be able to reflect back on our life and write or talk about it with a level of detachment, having survived and moved on. Always growing and changing. I'll be 69 in a few weeks so we're about the same age. xo
IDK, I've never liked looking to the future (or back at the past!) but here I am and no, I can't believe I'm this old! There were a couple of times when I thought I was maybe ready to leave the planet - not in a dramatic or depressed kind of way. It was like I was hovering above myself - very strange. And I was having the most profound animals dreams every night. But, I'm still here! And so are you, Frances, sharing your amazing story and trying to shake people awake before it's too late. You're a treasure. xo
I find it's therapeutic to review my life Fran, I write it down, but have never found the need to share with my readers. However, we each find our own way of releasing the spiritual damage to find healing, peace and comfort. After an amazingly fortunate life of travel and adventure, I am now at peace with my Maker, understanding that He and his angels have walked with me in my life's long journey, to allow me to know my mission during my earth-walk.
I do not 'need' to share my experiences with my readers. I am writing because I was asked to repeatedly, by family and friends. Some people find my story inspiring or cathartic. Others find it triggers their own memories. Still others find it amazing because their own life seems all the more blessed by comparison. We each react differently and that is how it should be.
I do not feel 'spiritually damaged' by my life, quite the reverse. Everything I went through taught me about my own weaknesses and strengths in real time. Some things took longer to heal than others, of course, and I am sure I have forgotten a lot, so this serialised book serves to help me remember and to leave for my grandchildren as an insight into what it was like living before mobile phones and the extreme nanny state we witness today.
Everything we experience in life, as you obviously know we'll, is meant to be a learning experience otherwise we are doomed to repeat. Yes some things are more difficult to get over but as they say, time heals all. Hopefully. God bless you girl!
I didn't wish to imply Fran, that you 'need' to share - I was merely saying that I didn't feel the need to do so myself - as you say - we are unique and agree that sharing can help others as well as oneself.
I'm pleased for you that you were able experience spiritual growth in real time. This wasn't the case for me, although on reflection, I can see that I have been unknowingly guided to this point in my life and it feels right. As an only child and having a single-sex boarding school education, I have spent a lifetime trying to purge (as far as possible), the distortions of my inner-world map created for me by others.
I too have written Part 1 of my book, writing Part 2 now,for my children and grandchildren but for me it has been focused on what I believe is likely to arrive in their futures and thus to pass on how I 'managed ' practically in my life, as you say, before 'smart' everything and the state taking on all the traditional responsibilities of parenting and general life-management.
I lament the collapse of traditional social standards, in the western world especially, infected as we are by the dysfunctional and hopelessly corrupt American culture. I pray that the rising generations will eventually return to a more disciplined society reflecting the true nature of our imperfect human construction. I believe this will come about during the coming years following what I see, as do many others, an economic and financial Great Depression II, inevitably creating lower living standards, removal of excess consumption drives, and returning to a more cohesive society minimising the 'me' and emphasising the 'we' - aka UBUNTU - my mission as i understand it.
On an episode, punctuated with such drama and shock, I find it weird that you, as a professed Christian, prefer to completely sweep aside the subjects dealt with in preference for promoting your own religious and political agenda.
I am not at all like you. I do not wish for a 'more disciplined society'. I hope the young explore their fullest potential in absolute freedom, a smattering of which we experienced in the 70s.
Depends what you understand as 'Christian', Fran. For me it is living with the guidance of Jesus in the New Testament - to the best of my ability given that I fail most of the time, but it is an aspiration for me to live up to, however I wouldn't press it on anyone else; for me 'religion' is a cult; all I have is a simple faith in a Higher Power - nothing more - and the appropriate guide is the New Testament. The nearest description I've found is "Christian Deist" although I try to avoid labels. However I do acknowledge that there are equally valid alternatives of which I am not aware - it's a vast subject.
I don't have a political agenda either; I am not concerned with politics, which is mere theatre, the power behind the curtain determines our future, now in the hands of the Global institutions. I am concerned with local economic models which is the core subject of my Part 2 and to work it does require responsible freedom. Communities need a common law but no requirement to engage - I think people should be free to do whatever as long as it doesn't adversely impact another. Perhaps this will clarify part of my vision and yes, let there be love which transcends all: https://www.thoughtco.com/traditional-economy-definition-and-examples-5180499
Good point. I knew a lot of women who had been raped but never reported to authorities or even mentioned it to family. There is more than a taboo, there are terrible risks attached. Look what Alan did when he found out I had been raped! Any good male friend or husband would want to do something similar. Now, for the rest of my life I have been the person who caused a man to be crippled AND I was always worried that Tony would hear about it and murder the bloke. The same could be said about my father, if he had ever heard about it. So that is another reason why women seldom mention or report rape. We do not want the thing to escalate to the point where our loved ones end up in prison.
PREVIOUS EPISODES are listed in the pinned comment here - https://francesleader.substack.com/p/sunday-in-memory-lane-episode-13
Episode 14 - https://francesleader.substack.com/p/sunday-in-memory-lane-episode-14
👀
P.S. lovely photo and the another one of you and I presume Dan behind on the wall, the reality of our past in pictures. Respect & X 2 All
We still have that photo (now framed) in our Rogues Gallery which comprises 5 generations of our family.
Great read as always and it details your strengths yet again as a woman/mother/beautiful being , I feel so much love & respect for you and your son and the way you have been able to cope with the harsh reality's of life when many other's couldn't, there are so many people out there who go through the same horrible experiences to which you have endured and they never recover but this lets everyone know we are not alone in our suffering. Thank you Frances X. Respect & X 2 All.
Good read Fran, I am trying to catch up with your articles but am very busy or very tired..x
I hope you can get some rest soon. I miss you online!
I love these Sundays entries so much Frances, thank you for sharing so much of your self :)
xoxoxo
We need to remember that life has not suddenly become a struggle since Covid landed on our heads. It was always a risky business filled with amazing interactions and experiences, both good and bad. Young people need to know what life was like before everyone had a mobile phone and were permanently glued to computer games and the internet. They must be encouraged to live at full steam ahead. We are young for such a short while, then older and more sensible or even jaded or disillusioned. I want to show that we humans can survive some pretty heavy and tough times and even learn to be happy as a direct result of them.
I am really grateful for all the positive feedback I am getting on this series, so thank you for reading it, Christine! My family and friends have been nagging me for decades to write my story but I always said "Who would be interested in my life?" - turns out that a lot of people are loving it and their reasons are wildly different. Some like the nostalgia, the music references and history of the 70s. Others are shocked at how I coped (I didn't always cope!).... still others find the story raw, real and thought provoking, reminding them of their own struggles or of how grateful they should be for the relatively easy time they have had.
I didn't expect it to be popular - but it is and that makes creating it so worthwhile!
Besides all that, we do need to take imaginative breaks from the daily grind of fighting injustice and propaganda. We need to touch base with our humanity and set ourselves free from the horrific mind control that the media is constantly slamming down our throats!
Keep smiling Christine, we need you and your work to continue challenging the status quo.
Much love as always, Fran xx
Well said. Bien dicho!
You are doing a brilliant job of exactly that, Fran :)
xoxo
You write very well. I feel thoroughly shaken by your tale of both events.
Obviously you’re here to tell about it, so that helps
Yes, I am here! It was a terrible time but the story goes on and there is much more ahead....
Oh, my. Didn't see that coming... :( xo
Quite! I didn't see it coming at the time either. I might have avoided it otherwise but the cards were playing out and I seemed to be swept along in such a whirlwind. 1976 was the best and the worst of years.... but there is so much more to come.
Isn't it interesting (and a blessing, I believe) to be able to reflect back on our life and write or talk about it with a level of detachment, having survived and moved on. Always growing and changing. I'll be 69 in a few weeks so we're about the same age. xo
I did not think I would make it to my 70s, Barbara! Did you? I thought that I would burn myself out by 40! lol
IDK, I've never liked looking to the future (or back at the past!) but here I am and no, I can't believe I'm this old! There were a couple of times when I thought I was maybe ready to leave the planet - not in a dramatic or depressed kind of way. It was like I was hovering above myself - very strange. And I was having the most profound animals dreams every night. But, I'm still here! And so are you, Frances, sharing your amazing story and trying to shake people awake before it's too late. You're a treasure. xo
It's Sunday 9pm where I'm and I've been patiently waiting... ❤️
I find it's therapeutic to review my life Fran, I write it down, but have never found the need to share with my readers. However, we each find our own way of releasing the spiritual damage to find healing, peace and comfort. After an amazingly fortunate life of travel and adventure, I am now at peace with my Maker, understanding that He and his angels have walked with me in my life's long journey, to allow me to know my mission during my earth-walk.
https://www.onlythebible.com/Poems/Footprints-in-the-Sand-Poem.html
I do not 'need' to share my experiences with my readers. I am writing because I was asked to repeatedly, by family and friends. Some people find my story inspiring or cathartic. Others find it triggers their own memories. Still others find it amazing because their own life seems all the more blessed by comparison. We each react differently and that is how it should be.
I do not feel 'spiritually damaged' by my life, quite the reverse. Everything I went through taught me about my own weaknesses and strengths in real time. Some things took longer to heal than others, of course, and I am sure I have forgotten a lot, so this serialised book serves to help me remember and to leave for my grandchildren as an insight into what it was like living before mobile phones and the extreme nanny state we witness today.
Everything we experience in life, as you obviously know we'll, is meant to be a learning experience otherwise we are doomed to repeat. Yes some things are more difficult to get over but as they say, time heals all. Hopefully. God bless you girl!
I didn't wish to imply Fran, that you 'need' to share - I was merely saying that I didn't feel the need to do so myself - as you say - we are unique and agree that sharing can help others as well as oneself.
I'm pleased for you that you were able experience spiritual growth in real time. This wasn't the case for me, although on reflection, I can see that I have been unknowingly guided to this point in my life and it feels right. As an only child and having a single-sex boarding school education, I have spent a lifetime trying to purge (as far as possible), the distortions of my inner-world map created for me by others.
I too have written Part 1 of my book, writing Part 2 now,for my children and grandchildren but for me it has been focused on what I believe is likely to arrive in their futures and thus to pass on how I 'managed ' practically in my life, as you say, before 'smart' everything and the state taking on all the traditional responsibilities of parenting and general life-management.
I lament the collapse of traditional social standards, in the western world especially, infected as we are by the dysfunctional and hopelessly corrupt American culture. I pray that the rising generations will eventually return to a more disciplined society reflecting the true nature of our imperfect human construction. I believe this will come about during the coming years following what I see, as do many others, an economic and financial Great Depression II, inevitably creating lower living standards, removal of excess consumption drives, and returning to a more cohesive society minimising the 'me' and emphasising the 'we' - aka UBUNTU - my mission as i understand it.
On an episode, punctuated with such drama and shock, I find it weird that you, as a professed Christian, prefer to completely sweep aside the subjects dealt with in preference for promoting your own religious and political agenda.
I am not at all like you. I do not wish for a 'more disciplined society'. I hope the young explore their fullest potential in absolute freedom, a smattering of which we experienced in the 70s.
https://youtu.be/TTNqjzt9W5Y
Depends what you understand as 'Christian', Fran. For me it is living with the guidance of Jesus in the New Testament - to the best of my ability given that I fail most of the time, but it is an aspiration for me to live up to, however I wouldn't press it on anyone else; for me 'religion' is a cult; all I have is a simple faith in a Higher Power - nothing more - and the appropriate guide is the New Testament. The nearest description I've found is "Christian Deist" although I try to avoid labels. However I do acknowledge that there are equally valid alternatives of which I am not aware - it's a vast subject.
I don't have a political agenda either; I am not concerned with politics, which is mere theatre, the power behind the curtain determines our future, now in the hands of the Global institutions. I am concerned with local economic models which is the core subject of my Part 2 and to work it does require responsible freedom. Communities need a common law but no requirement to engage - I think people should be free to do whatever as long as it doesn't adversely impact another. Perhaps this will clarify part of my vision and yes, let there be love which transcends all: https://www.thoughtco.com/traditional-economy-definition-and-examples-5180499
Wow. You really have zero self awareness. Incredible.
Good point. I knew a lot of women who had been raped but never reported to authorities or even mentioned it to family. There is more than a taboo, there are terrible risks attached. Look what Alan did when he found out I had been raped! Any good male friend or husband would want to do something similar. Now, for the rest of my life I have been the person who caused a man to be crippled AND I was always worried that Tony would hear about it and murder the bloke. The same could be said about my father, if he had ever heard about it. So that is another reason why women seldom mention or report rape. We do not want the thing to escalate to the point where our loved ones end up in prison.
You are always very welcome JR xx
I did not know that you had experienced abuse - and so very young too! I don't think you have ever mentioned that to me before. xx