She was a Holocaust survivor, divorced without children.
I was on good, correct daily terms with her as my room was adjacent to the small library. After her second marriage, I started to greatly appreciate her , for her genuine efforts to integrate in her new husband's family. She was very generous and kind with his two grown up children and their kids.
Despite her vast knowledge and skills, she was not always popular among the library visitors . There was some toughness about her, probably acquired during her Holocaust days, that put people off , so much so that according to gossip she was afraid some won't even show up to her retirement party when the time comes. Well, she was wrong about that . Full attendance, great respect shown to her.
Anyway, she kind of organized her own party as she wasn't pleased with the standard way done by the office .
Indeed, it was something different, and original , at the end of which everyone got a gift from her, a reading book with her dedication. and signature.
After retirement, she and her husband moved to another region, and I lost any contact with her. A few years ago, I heard her husband had died, and that before his death, they had managed to move to a sort of protective facility unit in a proper senior village.
I was curious: now that he was gone, would his children (son and daughter) and grandchildren be kind to her as she was to them? I had no one to ask about it as she sort of estranged herself from our mutual acquaintances.
Last week, she had appeared in my dreams , so I decided to make some inquiries. I tried to contact her through the village phone number and submitted a form filled with my personal details. but, so far, was unsuccessful. I might try later, (in case I don't get any reply from them) to contact her late husband's family to ask about her.
I took care of a lady some years ago who was also a holocaust survivor. She spent several years in a concentration camp and used to go around to schools and speak about that terrible time. She also had a sternness and feistiness about her, but we always said she needed that to survive.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can get in touch with this lady and find out how she's doing.
My late mother was also a Holocaust survivor, So I could relate to the librarian. Hunger and beating during the Holocaust, had an impact on one's life forever.
DeleteHope the sweet lady is doing well somewhere with her family.
ReplyDeleteThat's my very hope too, Angie.
DeletePart of our life is to lose contact with some people we were friends with many years ago. We end up living in different countries, different continents... my case, for instance.
ReplyDeleteI too wonder what is going on with them.
Yes, that's one of life's saddest aspects: losing contact with friends and acquaintences, and leaving us wonder about them.
DeleteYou are very fortunate that someone worked with you in the past and helped you in a memorable way.
ReplyDeleteIn all my years in High School I remember only one great teacher who I cite and thank still, even though I last saw him in 1965.
Well, she was not my teacher. She was the librarian for all of our workers, and my neighbor as the library and my room were adjacent. However, we had a friendly relationship.
DeleteInteresting to read Duta. I do hope you are able to get incontact with her
ReplyDeleteDuta, the comment went through and I hadn't finished, must have pressed publish by error.
ReplyDeleteWell I hope you can find her, she sounds like a lovely lady. Will be interesting to see if her late husband's family are kind to her as she was to them.
Take care.
Yes Margaret , I am very ager to get in touch with her and learn about her condition. Hopefully, she got kindness from her husband's family, even after his death.
DeleteI hope she is ok -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI hope so too, Christine.
DeleteI don’t know how one lives with personal memories of the Holocaust. I pray people are good to her. Good luck with your search.
ReplyDeleteAs they say, the human being is 'tougher than steel'. Some of these Holocaust survivors, have reached the advanced age of 90 and more.
DeleteYes, indeed, she was a character - strong and resilient, even if partly 'modelled' by life's cicumstances.
ReplyDeleteI do hope you can find out about how this special woman is faring, Duta. There are some folks with whom I've lost contact, and I regret not being able to get in touch with them. That she is a Holocaust survivor completely explains her tough exterior when interacting with others.
ReplyDeleteGod bless!
Indeed, her Holocaust past can explain many things about a survivor. I know that from personal experience with my parents.
DeleteLoss of contact with people along the years, can be very painful, but that's one of Life's sad aspects.
Well, Ellie, it was not a public library, just a small one confined to a specific working place.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, the lady librarian is well and in good condition.
She sounds like quite a woman. (I think you have to be pretty strong and firm to be a librarian!) I hope you can find out what has happened to her and can reach her family. It can be hard but things like Facebook and the internet do make it easier. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteQuite a woman, for sure! Thanks, Jeanie for wishing me Good Luck in finding out about her.
DeleteOh, my goodness - every time I heard of stories of the Holocaust - I still wonder how in this world it happened. So incredibly sad. I am sorry about your mom and your friend. I hope you find her. She sounds like a wonderful person.
ReplyDeleteI have missed you.
Each time the word Holocaust is uttered it, causes people to feel bad, as it symbolizes horror and cruelty to human beings.
DeleteI've missed you too. Lately, I'm not much in blogging as we are threatened with rocket attacks., and there are things on my mind.
She sounds like a lovely person, hopefully you'll be able to find her and reconnect. I wish you luck.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bill. Once one looses contact, it becomes difficult to find, and reconnect. Hopefully, I'll be lucky about that.
DeleteI hope you can find her, DUTA. It's so nice to be able to connect with someone from your past, who you care about. Hoping you find her well, and hope you are doing well, too.
ReplyDeleteI hope so, too.
DeleteI hope so, too.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope you are able to find her and re-connect. I loved our libraries, both county and school ones. Librarians dont get the credit they deserve. Janice
ReplyDeleteLibrarians work hard both with books and book readers. They do deserve credit and appreciation for their work.
DeleteI'll certainly do my best, Nas.
ReplyDeleteThat's a very good idea to try to find her address and phone nr. Of course you never know if people have changed or not, but I would give it a try !
ReplyDeleteDefinitevely. A good idea is always worth trying in reality.
DeleteDuta, I can't tell you how good it is to see a post up from you! I pray for Israel as well as you daily.
ReplyDeleteThis librarian sounds like such a kind person. Thank you for sharing about her. I do hope that you will be able to reconnect with her. I understand that "toughness about her" because my mom was a bit like that. But she had a heart of gold.
Hugs to you, my friend!
The truth is it's hard for me to think of blogging as we're awaiting war with all its horrors. Even your country has sent arms to help us in case the attack against us becomes fatal.
DeleteHopefully, I get the chance to talk to the librarian andbring back memories.
Thanks for the prayers, Dianna.
Praying for you, Duta. God watches over Israel.
DeleteThanks a lot for your prayers, Sandi. Yes, God watches and will hopefully save us.
DeleteI hope you find your friend and that the war will stop soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks for both your hopes: finding my friend, and stopping of war.
ReplyDeleteDuta, we are all thinking of you in these times. My childhood best friend's parents were German Jews and both Holocaust survivors. I didn't know her father well (he must have worked 70 hours a week at the gas station he owned) but her mother I did know. Stern, yes, but also exceedingly generous to those she knew and loved. I hope you get news about the Librarian, and that it is good news. To me, it's a sign of some kind when you dream of someone you've lost touch with.
ReplyDeleteDuta, my comment disappeared - nothing saying it was in moderation. I hope it makes it to your blog. I think about you and now I will also think of the Librarian. She makes me think of my childhood best friend's mother, who survived the Holocaust, and I treasure my memories of her.
ReplyDeleteYes, Alana, dreaming about the librarian was a sign of some kind. I believe in this kind of signs. That's why I decided to look for her. (If I happen to dream about someone gone, I'll light a candle in his memory and say a prayer).
ReplyDeleteThe Holocaust was an atrocity that should never be repeated. Sadly, there are similar cruelties in the world every day., horror and cruelty are universal.
ReplyDeleteYou have been missed, Duta, and understandably you have more important concerns now. I also hope that in time you can learn more about the woman in this post.
Sadly, cruelty and horror are indeed universal.
DeleteHopefully, I can go on blogging despite the war like atmosphere in the region.
As for the librarian lady, I hope to find out soon how she is.
I SPOKE TO HER ON THE PHONE TODAY. SHE'S FINE BOTH MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY. SHE'S ON GOOD TERMS WITH HER LATE HUSBAND'S FAMILY, ESPECIALLY WITH HIS SON. SHE WAS HURRYING TO A LECTURE , AND INVITED ME TO COME SEE HER AT HER PROTECTED FACILITY.
ReplyDeleteGood news indeed!
ReplyDelete