I do not remember the year, but I'd guess it was around 1977 on Christmas Day. My Grammie gave me the Wiley Coyote, and my brother @ligneous was given a Bug's Bunny. They were stuffed animals with a twist. There were wires inside them, so you could bend the limbs around to make them stand, wave, or hug you.
The Wiley Coyote was my prized possession and went everywhere with me other than to school. I still remember taking him to bed with me, and that's probably how Wiley disappeared without a trace. At the time I was a very bad bed wetter, so I bet poor ole' Wiley skunk like Pepé Le Pew after only a short while.
My parents probably made him disappear as parents sometimes do with certain children's toys that become problematic. If you're a parent, you will know what I mean. I'm sure it was for the best, and I know my parents meant well. As you can see from the photo above, I was genuinely happy with the gift. Grammie always gave the best ones.
I loved her very much. She was a wonderful and giving person, and everyone in the family was fortunate to have her in their lives. Thinking about her reminds me of so many positive things in life, but one negative one also comes to mind. Please heed this humble wisdom:
When someone you love is ill, make sure you see them before they get too ill.
Make peace with them, and talk to them while they're still with you mentally. When I saw my Grammie last, she couldn't even recognize me. It was too late to even say goodbye to her in a proper way. The cancer and all the drugs she was on because of it had ruined her state of mind. It was heart breaking and a bad way to end things.
On a happier note, above is a photo of her with my grandfather, Lowell Cornelison. Notice how genuine her smile was like mine with Wiley. She was in the prime of her life, in love, and my grandfather was a great man. The two of them would get married and have a child named Georgia Ann, my mother.
It wasn't long after having my mother as a child that WWII began. My grandfather signed up for the Army, and he was assigned to the 29th Infantry Division--a unit I would later be a member of as well. This is a photo of him in uniform right before he shipped off to Europe to participate in D-Day.
Lowell survived the D-Day battle, but he did not survive the war. After landing on and securing the beach, his unit was ordered inland. While fighting in the forest of France, he was wounded in the arm. An ambulance eventually arrived to take him and others to a field hospital. As the ambulance drove off into the night though, it was struck by an artillery shell.
Everyone inside the vehicle was killed instantly.
My grandfather fought and died fighting fascists, and for that he will always have my deepest respect. He was only 21 years old. That is the main reason I took his surname, Cornelison, since his only surviving child was my mother. I am one of seven children too, so there are others who have carried on the Koester surname.
Now you know why I share my mother's maiden name. You also know how seriously I take the fight for liberty. My mother used to tell me I have always been very "serious." My friends say the same. I don't think I'm too serious, but I do often contemplate serious and important ideas.
Liberty, and how to further it, is my primary passion in life. Everything I do is meant to improve individual liberty. It is a battle worth fighting, and I'll gladly pay any price to win it. I call people like me Liberty Professionals, and they are all my friends. Let me know if you're one too.
It's always a pleasure to meet another friend!
Here's one last photo to lighten up the mood. Do I look serious within it? Nope. I don't believe I do!
Thanks to @grow-pro for this fun challenge!
Want to Enter? It's Simple!
• The post can be a photo from your childhood or something that reminds you of your childhood - music, food, clothing, toys, places, or anything like that! Feel free to get as creative as you like!
• Be sure to use #iwasakid as 1 of your 5 tags in your post - this will help others view your posts related to the challenge!
• Copy & Paste these simple rules so others can easily participate
OPTIONAL / EXTRA:
• Engage & Interact - the challenge is meant to bridge communication gaps and offer topics of discussion - even if you do not wish to make a post yourself, feel free to check out the #iwasakid tag and comment on your favorites. Friends are usually people we can relate to - you might just find a new friend!
• Drop your steemit #iwasakid post below in the comments OR in any of @grow-pro's posts with that TAG
Let me start by saying, I really like your style of story telling, It was very easy to read. Thank you for inviting us into your world. It's weird that I came across this because more than ever I've been telling myself to let the people around me know how much I love and appreciate them before it's too late. Who knows when our time will come. My grandmother also lost her life to cancer and it was difficult to see her so unresponsive when she usually was the life of the party. This hits home and I definitely can relate. Once again thanks for sharing.
Thank you! I really appreciate your feedback and thoughtful comment. My mother died from cancer too. She smoked for 40 years, quit for 7, and then was very upset when she still died from cancer. :(
That really sucks. I couldn't imagine losing someone so dear to me. That must have been really tough. It's crazy how life works or should I say just happens. Our past always has a way of catching up with us when we least expect it.
Cancer really pisses me off as you might have guessed, but there is no cure. The "cure" is eating a healthy diet and avoiding toxins.
My Barbapapa disapeared in the night too! It was yellow and pear like...i loved it....even when one of the eyes fell off lol.
Idk...I watched the cliped u posted the other day (eating smth hot). I wouldnt say ure serious. :)
haha, I definitely wasn't serious in that video. :)
Your fearlessness in telling your story -- without wincing -- is truly inspiring. I feel like I know you now :)
Thank you! I did get emotional a few times when thinking about my grandmother. ;-)
I had one of those Wiley Coyote stuffed animals as well growing up.
I bet the person that came up with the idea profited quite handsomely! That toy and my Big Wheel will forever be remembered fondly. Did you have a Big Wheel or Green Machine?
Never had a Green Machine, but loved the Big Wheel. Also had a 6 wheel rider that moved by turning hand cranks on each side versus pedals. Did a search but can't find it, so likely not made anymore. But liked it as well.
Are you talking about this? It looks pretty cool... I found an old listing on eBay.
That's awesome!
HA, that's it. I tried hunting and couldn't find it. Nicely done.
aww thats a nice toy that you got. Sorry about your grandma, life is so short... I think the best that we can do is to enjoy everyday as much as we can and to be there for our loved ones.
Thanks! I'll always be there for those who love me and for my friends (those who believe in furthering the same life long goals as me).
yes interesting photo thank you for showing us
You got a 0.98% upvote from @postpromoter courtesy of @mbrown121500! Want to promote your posts too? Check out the Steem Bot Tracker website for more info. If you would like to support development of @postpromoter and the bot tracker please vote for @yabapmatt for witness!
Thanks @mbrown121500 !
Thanks for sharing such a personal story. I had favorite toys growing up, but this post really gets me thinking about my grandparents and great-grandparents and their stories.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
You're very welcome. All my memories but the last of my Grammie are good ones. The last being the empty stare in her eyes when I saw her on her death bed. She didn't even know who I was. That's an awful thing to accept.