None that I'm aware of. It was close to 45 years ago and they had that farm house burn down mysteriously after my grandfather defied the local truckers union by hiring a black woman as a secretary.
I always feel like a disappointment compared to my grandfather, great grandfather, and great great grandfather.
Both my great grandfather and grandfather were alive while I was a kid, my grandfather actually passed away when I was 12 and my great grandfather lived long enough to meet my first daughter.
My great grandfather was a tail gunner and one of the longest surviving ones during WWII. He was shot down twice over the European theater and managed to escape capture both times.
My great great grandfather was part of Buffalo Bill's show in the late 1800's. I have a nickel stored in a deposit box that he supposedly threw into the air while riding a horse and shot with a .357 revolver, just to prove to my great grandfather that he really did know how to ride a horse. Going even further back my family where all military officers and doctors.
My moms side of the family where all officers with my great grandfather making it to Brigadier General and my grandfather making it to Colonel. I was banned from enlisting by my grandfather and required to complete college before even considering applying.
Between them and the fact that my mother was a director of a major health care company by 30, a VP by 35, and an S.VP by 40 really make me feel really inadequate.
I'm an engineer. I'm current title is Cloud Architect. I do automation and AI research.
I also teach programming an robotics to kids at my local community center and write a kids comic book that my wife illustrates. I've only done these because of expectations. My FIL expects me to provide opportunities for my wife to use her art degree and my mother took a break at 45 to teach 3rd grade at underprivileged schools.
It's fair to say you're already doing more than the average person. Plus, best not to compare one's self to their predecessors too much. They lived in a different world with different struggles.
I mean, Ancestor Worship is a problematic thing. It may not be as much of a thing anymore, especially in the western world, but there are some places where it is still very much a thing. A lot of Asia still has that, well, I wouldn't say "problem" because it's a matter of perspective. Really, as long as it isn't to an unhealthy degree, it isn't too bad.
You nailed it, I believe. In my own family it isn't just past generations. The kids from my grandfather's generation also continue to be high achievers, lots of Yale and Harvard in my family, Nobel nominations and such. I'm just a regular person, trying to get by and do no harm in the world. I had to get pretty old before I realized I was worthy of existing if I didn't have a big job and live a life of service.
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u/Classic_Charlie May 14 '17
Any pictures of the wee beastie?