Reviews from

Things I Never Knew I Never Knew

Perspectives then and now

25 total reviews 
Comment from Anne Johnston
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

This is a great entry for the childhood memory contest. Thank you for sharing this. Our parents shield us from a lot of things, and sometimes it is hard to accept when we finally learn the truth. Things hidden always come to light at some point.

 Comment Written 29-Sep-2021


reply by the author on 29-Sep-2021
    Dear Anne, thank you for your kind review. It is an interesting experience to look at our memories in retrospect. I think most people go through life doing the best they can. I hadn't planned on writing this story, but it's what came out. I post it with the utmost respect for my parents and grandparents. Thank you again!
reply by Anne Johnston on 30-Sep-2021
    You are welcome. What we faced in childhood makes us what we are today.
Comment from RPSaxena
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

Hello Friend,
Nice piece of Biographical Non-Fiction beautifully depicting the grandma's story having many ups and downs and side by side the writer's own life through some narrated Lessons.
Lucid and matching the theme wording; smooth flow throughout from the beginning to the end.
Good Luck in the contest.

 Comment Written 29-Sep-2021


reply by the author on 29-Sep-2021
    Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging review of my story. I hadn't planned on writing about that, but it must have needed to be written because that's what came out. It's an interesting experience to look at childhood memories in retrospect. Sending good wishes your way!
reply by RPSaxena on 30-Sep-2021
    Hi Friend, Most Welcome!
    With best wishes,
    ~ RP
Comment from Tpa
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

Life is an educational process. As written in your story, young people find it difficult to understand the difficulty and strains life gives us at its earliest moment. You did very well, engaging with the pains life throws at us, which at the stage of youth finds challenging.
SUGGESTION:

TRY USING A LARGER FOUNT. ITS EASIER ON THE READER'S EYES.

 Comment Written 28-Sep-2021


reply by the author on 28-Sep-2021
    Dear Tpa, thank you very much for your insightful review and wonderful suggestion to enlarge the font! I will take care of that pronto. I appreciate your taking the time to read the story I hadn't planned on writing, but it is what needed to come out.
Comment from Mary Shifman
Excellent
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This is a very interesting post. I think we don't really realize that our parents are real people with their own lives and interests, etc. until we are pretty grown up. Good luck in the contest.

 Comment Written 28-Sep-2021


reply by the author on 28-Sep-2021
    Thank you, Mary, for another insightful review. It is interesting to ponder life from the vantage point of looking backward. I hadn't planned on writing this story, but I guess it needed to come out. I appreciate your taking the time to read and respond!
reply by Mary Shifman on 29-Sep-2021
    You are so welcome.
Comment from mermaids
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

Excellent writing here that held my interest. I feel so bad for your grandmother and all she went through. I admire your mother who maintained grace and treated all well despite the divorce. There are so many secrets out there in the past, Best wishes for the contest.

 Comment Written 28-Sep-2021


reply by the author on 28-Sep-2021
    Dear mermaids, thanks so much for taking the time to read my story and send me this kind and encouraging review. Sometimes when we dig around our family tree, we uncover surprises. I hope Grandma doesn't mind my sharing. I wasn't planning on telling this story, but I guess it just needed to be written. She endured a lot. The human plight is an interesting journey to say the very least!
Comment from barbara.wilkey
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

I enjoyed reading you contest entry. I believe all families have at least one fact people didn't discuss; probably a lot more than one. Thank you for sharing and good luck.

 Comment Written 28-Sep-2021


reply by the author on 28-Sep-2021
    Dear Barbara, thank you for taking the time to read my story and for your kind review. I hadn't planned on sharing this, but I guess it needed writing. Life is quite the journey indeed! Sending good wishes your way.
Comment from Wendy G
Excellent
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A very well told story, with honesty and great understanding, especially considering how little you really saw your grandmother during your formative years. What a lot of sorrow she carried in her heart. I wish you every success for this entry, with its refrain of "never knowing what one doesn't know"!
Wendy

 Comment Written 28-Sep-2021


reply by the author on 28-Sep-2021
    Dear Wendy, thank you for your kind and sincere review. I hadn't planned on sharing things so close to my heart, but I guess it needed writing--that's what came out. Life certainly is a journey. Sending good wishes your way!
Comment from Cogitator
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

You certainly have a gift. Although I seldom read fiction, I do check on your work. This piece is definitely one of your best. I cannot suggest anything resembling an improvement...John

 Comment Written 28-Sep-2021


reply by the author on 28-Sep-2021
    Dear John, your review made my whole day. I admire your work and feel honored by your kind and encouraging words. Authoring biographical non-fiction is an interesting venture indeed. I did not plan on writing this story, but it appears it needed telling. Sending good wishes your way!
Comment from lyenochka
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

This is so beautifully and tenderly written. I feel your mother was truly heroic to shield you and your siblings from the very hard relationships she had with her own mother. It also shows me your parents had a strong bond that they would work together to honor all your grandparents in their last years. Great opening from the keeping warm and secure at home, and then revealing the hidden family hurts and yet still feeling warm, secure and well loved. Hope you do well in the contest!

 Comment Written 28-Sep-2021


reply by the author on 28-Sep-2021
    Thank you so much! I appreciate your taking the time to read my story and send this lovely review. You are right; my mother is heroic! She continues to be an example to me of unconditional love. Sending lots of good wishes your way!
Comment from LisaMay
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

This is a beautifully written story with a fine balance between childhood experience and adult awareness, making profound observations about appearances, assumptions, and the pain beneath. So often we are ignorant of others' lives.

 Comment Written 28-Sep-2021


reply by the author on 28-Sep-2021
    Dear LisaMay, I admire your work and am honored by your kind, insightful, and very generous review. I hadn't planned on sharing this story, but I guess it needed telling. It's what came. An interesting venture indeed to look at life in retrospect. Sending lots of good wishes your way!
reply by LisaMay on 29-Sep-2021
    I've shared more than I intended in my own personal story, too. I guess these bits of history need to be told as catharsis for ourselves, and they are often helpful to others who have experienced the same situation to remind ourselves we are all progressing on our life journeys together.
reply by the author on 29-Sep-2021
    Thank you! I look forward to hearing from you and learning from your wise counsel.
reply by LisaMay on 29-Sep-2021
    I am capable of being extremely stupid as well!
reply by the author on 29-Sep-2021
    Hehe. Nice to know you are human.