Intergenerational Trauma

The WWII generation impacted our entire world, and for Dutch-American-Canadian-Australian-Indonesian baby-boomers, many of us grew up with: pride of surviving, love, up-rootedness, our parents’ temper outbursts, tensions, depressions, and our own yearning to one day hear the complete story which never came.

Secrets, a mandate for success, and our parents’ and grandparents’ anxiety was not left behind in War time for most of us.

Children and grandchildren of war often have a lovely closeness, constant worry, and mistrust. In a very real way we “inherit” our parents’ anxiety.

To grow up with parents who have lost all in war is to grow up with fear of: lines, waiting, “wasting” food, “running out,” and the worst case scenario of every situation.

I believe we are invited to find deep meaning and to contemplate all of the tough questions of faith and love. A deeper intimacy, trust, the “never again” commitment, and a quest for peace and spirituality is our reward, for not giving up, just as our parents did not give up.