My grandfather was adopted

[kc7jty]

Got word from my sister that our cousin told her our maternal grandfather was adopted. (my sister believes it to be "legit" info)
I feel empty and lost. Why people lie to their family is something I don't understand. My mother had a brother who shot himself to end it all, but she always said it was an accident while cleaning his gun.
My father dispelled that myth once quite convincingly.

My mother must have known about her father being adopted, she was quite close to her sister who was the mother of the informing cousin.
All the tales from her of us being German/French (her mother was pure blood Irish, born over there) with a possibility of Jew blood (the name was Keim) are out the window now.

I've never told my kids any tales I knew to be untrue....
Damn! I might be English or something, I'm not gonna get any sleep tonight.

[KG4CGC]

Eureka!
You're Greek-ish.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

I suspected that I was adopted when I was told.
The guy who I really liked was indeed my Grandfather.
With this discovery I went to visit my real relatives and love the way things worked out.
What I am saying is this, you may find that you like your real relatives even more.

[kc7jty]

Hello.

I suspected that I was adopted when I was told.
The guy who I really liked was indeed my Grandfather.
With this discovery I went to visit my real relatives and love the way things worked out.
What I am saying is this, you may find that you like your real relatives even more.

[W3WN]

"Jew blood" ????

[KC2UGV]

"Jew blood" ????

Yeah, Like "Irish Blood"...

[W3MIV]

What difference does any of it make? Are we specimens in a kennel club?

My mother was very Irish, though born here; her father was the import from the auld sod. My father was a Jew who did not acknowledge it (neither did his Jewish mother nor did his Bohemian/German/Nazi father -- someone to whom I wish I had found I was NOT related). I am neither a Jew nor an Irishman -- a fact for which both are probably grateful. The only question I have about my genes is what potential health effects I may have inherited, either from them, or merely through them from some utterly unknown and unknowable hirsute bobble along some evolutionary back road.

Other than occasionally howling at the full moon, and throwing my back out when I try to lick my ass, I don't suspect there are too many genetic predispositions or unknown ancestors I need concern myself about. Of course, YMMV.

[w3bny]

Eureka!
You're Greek-ish.

You could be from the isle of Lesbos :yum::wiggle:

[WØTKX]

Well, my family background is murky on the maternal side. There is strong evidence that the family immigrated to Chugwater Wyoming, to escape the Russion Pogroms of the late 1800's in Poland. And became "Catholic" as a cover story. My Grandfather was very angry when my sister found clues in the immigration record, and immediately went on a tirade about not being Jewish. The homestead in Chugwater WY was quite harsh... Grandpa started running away to the army at about 12, they eventually kept him. He never talked about it much... he said that he had eight brothers and sisters, and only six survived. Some got sick, but he said that they went hungry a lot, and might have starved.

To him, the Army was a rescue... still tough, but fair. But I always wondered about how growing up like that would mess with a person. Grandpa could be a softie at times, but he was mostly stoic, and frequently very angry and mean. He was a sniper and sharpshooter for a long time... I think that messed with him, as well as jungle duty in Burma. Grandma could always mellow him out, but usually that required the nudge of a stiff cocktail. There was a very strong streak of conditional love, and fear. He did that with his twin daughters, one's my mom.

Dad's family life was pretty harsh too, another overbearing Grandfather. My paternal Grandmother wouldn't put up with his crap, and sought solace in devout Catholicism. Not much love and joy there, Grandpa died when I was quite young, but I witnessed harsh and odd moments, without understanding them then.

This creates psychological tweaks in the kids, more valid than "blood" or "race". It it is passed on, as surely as genetic material. Whatever the care situation is, unconditional love with gentle teaching works best. Making a competition out of favor is not good, encouragement and patience is. Nurturing the joy of creativity is the most important, because people tend to "find themselves" in endeavors that are both intellectual, and from the heart. Smiles and laughter.

Why is it that methods for rehabilitating the mental state of rescue animals is understood, but throwing another human under the bus is celebrated?

[KA5PIU]

What difference does any of it make? Are we specimens in a kennel club?

.

Hello.

The "Mother" made it clear that she did not want me to have contact with "Her" relatives.
The "Father" was a returning Vietnam era junkie.
So it was not so much who the real relatives were as that these are not my relatives.
But once I discovered my relatives I became very happy!