[livi]

Big family reunion today on account of my grandfather would have celebrated his 100 years anniversary had he still been alive. Died at the age of 90. Any which reason to celebrate, right.

Anyway, my father come from very poor, rural conditions. Grew up with three siblings. Them and their families flew in for this gathering. Well, most live in Sweden and came by car. But one of my fathers brothers has made an enormous fortune in the medical business - hence he flew in by private jet from London.

My father had done a history search and organized a bus tour in the areas and locations where their father and mother grew up. My father told stories about life at the start of the century in rural Sweden. My God, compared to that life I have been spoiled rotten.

Now to the point of this thread. Turns out my grandfathers mother had 5 siblings. One died of influenza at the young age of 28, leaving 7 small children behind. The father had eloped years ago. The remaining 4 all committed suicide. One shot himself, one drowned herself, one hang himself and the last one gassed herself in the kitchen.

I was chocked and deeply moved. The poverty, the ordeal, the tragic.

Suddenly it made sense that, when my grandfather got old, he kept begging me to buy a shot gun and come and shoot him out of his misery. This was ten years ago and I had forgotten. Now it all came back to me.

I hope for my childrenīs sake I did not inherit that suicide gene.

Sorry for the long post and burdening you with my sadness. Just had to relate to someone unrelated. Thanks for listening.