Glory Days: What Do Glory Days Mean to Children?

Seth’s grandparents were sitting in the living room, when he walked in carrying a huge photo album.

“Grandpa, tell me about the glory days,” he said excitedly, placing the photo album on the coffee table right in front of his grandfather.

“You mean gory days,” muttered his grandfather under his breath.

“Simon!” Beth, Seth’s grandmother, was appalled at how he had responded to Seth, but she knew he had Alzheimer’s disease and recently had been reliving the events of World War II.

“I have to do a project for school on the glory days,” said Seth, not about to let his grandfather put a damper on his enthusiasm. “You and Grandma lived the glory days, so you know about them.”

Beth gazed at Simon sternly, as she headed to the kitchen to check on some cookies in the oven.  

Seth carefully opened the photo album and watched his grandfather’s expression as he peered at the photographs. He did not speak. Seth kept turning the pages, one at a time.

“Hey, that’s old Ben!” said Simon, excitedly. “Let me see that photograph again!”

Seth turned back to that page in the photo album, thankful that his grandfather had begun to talk to him.

“Beth,” hollered Simon happily. “Come and see old Ben!”

“Tell me about old Ben,” said Seth quietly, not wanting to upset his grandfather.

“Young man, when I was about your age,” Simon said with a huge grin. “What are you now, about seven?”

“I will be seven next week,” replied Seth, pleased that his grandfather was now speaking directly to him.

“When I was seven, my grandfather gave me a pony and I called him Ben. I rode that pony to school and took care of him for many years. When your grandmother and I were married, he pulled the carriage when we left the church. Beth, can you remember that?”

Beth stood in the kitchen doorway and smiled at her own recollections of that day.

“You were such a romantic,” she said to Simon, tossing him a kiss. “I think even Ben realized that!” She knew that for Simon, this was a breakthrough.

"Those were the glory days,” thought Seth. “May I take that photograph to school?"

"You certainly can!"

"Thank you, grandpa!”