Welcome to Uncle George! Right now, you may be wondering about the origin of the moniker for this blog. As with all things seemingly out-of-the-blue, this name has a backstory.
Uncle George is my great uncle, one of the brothers of my late maternal grandfather. Growing up, I heard the story of how Uncle George, eager to serve, protect, and defend, did not wait for the United States to officially enter World War II but instead decided to travel to Canada from his home state of Louisiana in order to join the Royal Air Force. To me, this anecdote shows that Uncle George was a man of strong convictions, but, more importantly, that he had the courage to act upon those convictions.
The photograph in the featured image of this blog and in this post’s picture is a photo of my Uncle George in his aviator apparel. An inscription on the back tells us that this particular photo was taken somewhere in southern England where he an instructor in bomber pilot training. His Royal Air Force insignia is also visible near to the picture frame, and beside the photo is a pair of his ice skates.
Fortunately, Uncle George did not die in combat, but, tragically, he did lose his life during training.
Uncle George was a writer, a young journalist engaged to be married to a young woman, who was a fellow journalist. Often when I have displayed a penchant or an aptitude for writing, my mother has spoken about Uncle George and his story.
It is a warm and comfortable feeling to think that I have something in common with a relative who, unfortunately, I was never able to meet–a man of conviction who loved writing. It is a link to our family’s past, a legacy that helped to shape my family and myself.
So this blog is named for Uncle George. Through my writing, I hope to share some of my own convictions, some of what is important to me, be it serious or light-hearted or somewhere in between. In doing so, I hope to honor Uncle George’s memory.
Please come along for the journey. I hope that this blog makes you smile, makes you think, touches you in some way, helps you to understand another’s viewpoint even if you don’t agree, and maybe brings a bit of joy to your day!
Thanks for stopping by, and Happy Reading!
Uncle George 