Reese's advice to her grandchildren...

Today it’s my birthday, I’m 92 years old. I think I can say that I've lived a long time.

 I went through a lot of time, I met a lot of people, I learned a lot of things but today I’m done. 

I still have a good memory, but I’m afraid with the idea of forgetting the most precious time of my life.

This time was when I was a child but almost a teenager. 

During this period, I would like todiscover all new things, the secrets of nature and more : I was crazy about animals !

I was born in 1925, the day is not very important. 

When I was a child, my parents told me that a few years ago, there wasan horrible thing which they called The War. 

I didn’t know what it meant but the war seems to be a terrible event. 

They told me that I had a brother but I’ll never see him, and later I understood why, it was because of The War.

But I was a child, and, like the others children, I was an innocent child. 

As I said before, I was passionate by nature, for example, I was attracted by the flowers, theircolours, their smell, their shape, all was strange but so interesting to look at. 

So, I loved to pick them to do some bunch. But this bunch was not for my mom, my friends or my schoolteacher. 

I usually sold them. 

But it wasn’t the only thing I sold. 

For example, I stole some fruit or vegetables like potatoes, carrots or apples in the garden of my neighbours. 

Sometimes, their dogs barked when they saw me but I always ran away to hide myself. 

So, I concealed my money to buy some candies but my parents always talked about money problems so, sometimes, I put some coins in the drawers.

When they found them,they smiled in the hope it was part of the little miracles of  life.

I would like to speak about the christmases of my childhood. 

As I said, after The War my parents were in financional difficulties. 

Of course, I believed in Santa Claus but I was often disappointed because he brought me the old toys of my older brother. 

Incidentally, I remember a cuddly bear toy, it was my favourite present. 

All the family was here, we got together at my grandparents’house, in Baugy,  my grandparents' native place. 

Sometimes, my mother played the piano after the dinner.

One day, the first day of september 1939, when my father had to leave us to defend our country and this day, my childhood came to an end. 

I understood what The War was.