My Grandmother
In most families, people grow up in a warm, engaging, environment. For my grandmother, that was not the case. My grandmother, Edna Archer, grew up in Galveston, TX, with a mother, father, and brother. Her great grandfather was a well-known entrepreneur, William Lewis Moody, famous throughout Galveston and the southern part of Texas. While Mr. Moody was not a particularly loving man, he did love my grandmother. He had her and her brother over every Sunday for lunch and afternoon tea, but the environment was very different than the average child’s relationship with their grandparents. They were not allowed to speak unless given permission, were not allowed to go outside to play unless they were given the “okay” by Mr. Moody, and were required to be on their best behavior throughout the house and the gardens outside.
Growing up, my grandmother did not have a normal childhood. Though her family was very family oriented, they had a different dynamic than most families do. Rules were much more strict in her house than most other places, and she was taught at a very young age how important manners and good etiquette were. Her great grandfather made sure of it. My grandmother, though she loved her parents and great grandfather very much, left Galveston at the age of 15 to go and live with her grandparents in San Antonio. Since her grandparents were older, she was basically on her own living on what seemed to her like a plantation home in San Antonio, Texas. She had much more freedom than the average teenager, yet she handled it very well. She did not run wild or make poor decisions, but rather acted like she still had rules, and acted as if her grandparents were watching over her every move. Once in San Antonio, my grandmother grew up quickly. Without her parents there to guide her, growing up and maturing was imperative.
Today, my grandmother has told me that she credits her actions and behavioral mannerisms to her great grandfather, William Moody. Though he was not the most loving and affectionate man, he taught her respect, independence, and manners, which enabled her to carry herself throughout her life when she truly was a beginning her life as an adult. Just as William Lewis Moody influenced my grandmother, my grandmother has also influenced me. She has brought those strong attributes of independence and maturity back to me and my sisters and has shown us how important it is to not only be able to be independent, but also to have manners and respect for other people regardless of the circumstances.
Works Cited
http://guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000015792
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=43344618
William Lewis Moody, my grandmother’s grandfather
Outside of the Moody Mansion in Galveston, TX