This is a picture of my father when he started school. It may look like he is already becoming a trouble maker with that cross-eyed look on his face that so many of our kids today show when they are trying to shake things up a bit. But the real story begins in post-war Holland after the infamous Hunger Winter that ravaged so many families lives during the last few months of WWII. Thousands died of starvation and related illnesses.

My Dad’s family was no exception. After the war had ended a few remaining german soldiers stayed in hiding in the forest across from my father’s home. They didn’t want to surrender and they decided to retaliate the loss of the war by taking revenge on a very dear family in my Dad’s village. They chose to hunt down the doctor. The doctor that bravely delivered so many war-time babies, (my aunts and uncle included) who even crept through ditches in darkness past enemy soldiers to perform deliveries after curfew, and the doctor that was not able to live long enough to rescue my aunt from dying.

 In front of everyone, these few Nazi soldiers shot the doctor, his wife and his kids.

Shortly after this my aunt Petra (then 18 months old) developed what they think was pneumonia. Since the Hunger Winter just ended supplies after the war were scarce and so was medicine. Petra didn’t have the benefit of a visit from the village doctor anymore either. She passed away and during the week of her funeral several of her brothers and sisters developed Whooping Cough - my father included. During his illness he coughed so hard that his eyes went crossed.

He can chuckle about how he went cross-eyed now but I personally cannot imagine the strain and grief running through that family. My Dad clearly remembers the tiny casket sitting in the carriage of a horse drawn hearse. His parents followed in the carriage behind and I’m sure in those days this was an all too familiar scene in his small village located near Rotterdam.

As always, I look for what I can take from stories like this. As far as families - tragedy and hardship are often capable of creating a bond between family members stronger than no other. Being thrown into survival mode contributes to how well a family can cope together, rely on one another and in turn show love and compassion to those around them. Additionally, kids can be amazingly resilient in such circumstances. All these things we can take with us as we face the waves and troughs of life. And all this can be learned from one photo. Makes you want to tell the stories behind your photos I hope!