Ken Neal Letter to Madalene Danklef
September 26, 1998
Dear Madalene:
It’s early on a Saturday morning on my 63rd birthday. I got a terrific birthday card from you with a couple
of pictures of a beautiful girl in the swimming pool. Since you are not yet 18 months old, I highly suspect
this was your mother’s doing!
of pictures of a beautiful girl in the swimming pool. Since you are not yet 18 months old, I highly suspect
this was your mother’s doing!
Your mom has suggested that I write to you from time to time. It is a very thoughtful suggestion. Forgive
me if I have told you why in previous notes, but she and I both think it would have been terrific if our
grandparents had written down more of their thoughts and remembrances for our benefit.
me if I have told you why in previous notes, but she and I both think it would have been terrific if our
grandparents had written down more of their thoughts and remembrances for our benefit.
I, for example, have only sketches of handwriting or other written material even from my father, and
only a few impersonal words taken from work documents from my grandparents.
only a few impersonal words taken from work documents from my grandparents.
My mother, as you probably know, put down a lot of material. Much of it religious and wisdom
literature that appealed to her. It does offer a direct insight into her personality and the kind of a person
she was. I recommend you read it for that purpose.
literature that appealed to her. It does offer a direct insight into her personality and the kind of a person
she was. I recommend you read it for that purpose.
My grandparents lived in a time when it was not easy for people of modest means to write. Writing
materials were scarce and their educational levels were such that putting thoughts on paper was not
easy for them. My dad, for example, was a terrific story teller. I hope you will read of some of them
in other writings on which I am working. But although Dad consumed newspapers, he did not read
much more than technical material. A truly smart and wise man, he simply did not feel comfortable
putting the stories on paper. He expressed his feelings freely in person, but putting them on paper was
awkward for him.I, on the other hand, have no such excuses. I have, as you probably have been told,
been hammering away on typewriters and word processors all my life. Putting my thoughts on paper
(computer?) is natural for me. It is awkward for me to put my thoughts down in longhand.
materials were scarce and their educational levels were such that putting thoughts on paper was not
easy for them. My dad, for example, was a terrific story teller. I hope you will read of some of them
in other writings on which I am working. But although Dad consumed newspapers, he did not read
much more than technical material. A truly smart and wise man, he simply did not feel comfortable
putting the stories on paper. He expressed his feelings freely in person, but putting them on paper was
awkward for him.I, on the other hand, have no such excuses. I have, as you probably have been told,
been hammering away on typewriters and word processors all my life. Putting my thoughts on paper
(computer?) is natural for me. It is awkward for me to put my thoughts down in longhand.
There are details of my relatives(and yours) in other material, so I will not get into that here except
to tell you that I believe that we honor our ancestors and learn much about ourselves by getting
acquainted with them and the times in which they lived and strived. Of such, of course, are the basics
of history. I have found that knowing my immediate relatives in this way enables me to have a good
feel for the really important figures in history. An example: Having heard my father tell many funny
stories – many of them with barnyard language and expletives – I can read of the anecdotes that Abraham
Lincoln told and close my eyes and hear that great man dispense humor and wisdom that flowed out of
a good mind and a loving heart.
to tell you that I believe that we honor our ancestors and learn much about ourselves by getting
acquainted with them and the times in which they lived and strived. Of such, of course, are the basics
of history. I have found that knowing my immediate relatives in this way enables me to have a good
feel for the really important figures in history. An example: Having heard my father tell many funny
stories – many of them with barnyard language and expletives – I can read of the anecdotes that Abraham
Lincoln told and close my eyes and hear that great man dispense humor and wisdom that flowed out of
a good mind and a loving heart.
Perhaps more than any other attribute I wish for you is that of empathy for others. It is difficult to
truly define and difficult to acquire, else this would be a far better world than it is.
truly define and difficult to acquire, else this would be a far better world than it is.
