I know, I have a hard time even thinking about that. Apparently a distant family member "rediscovered" her in 1983 and she may have received visitors again but I kind of cringe at what that kind of existence was like.
This story has given me a lot to think about. Most of us are not just forgotten a decade or two past our death but even by the time we reach old age. Or you work some place for 5 years, think you made a huge impact and have some sort of legacy, and within months of you leaving they've moved on. And after a few years most of the people still there never heard of you. Audrey's story may be an extreme and long version of what most of us experience. When we're young we have a lot of friends and activity and feeling of importance but then sidle off to loneliness and obscurity as we enter old age. When I did my family tree a few years ago it was stark to me how only a tiny miniscule fraction of humanity is remembered past their death for anything. All of my ancestors past my great-grandparents are just a name on a branch and they are known for being born, marrying, creating another branch and dying. The uplifting part of all this is it's this way because it must be meant to be. We can't remember everyone. Just accept it and enjoy the present and don't worry so much about what people are thinking after you're gone.
So she spent approximately 65 years in a hospital for depression and schizophrenia, holy crap.
I know, I have a hard time even thinking about that. Apparently a distant family member "rediscovered" her in 1983 and she may have received visitors again but I kind of cringe at what that kind of existence was like.
This story has given me a lot to think about. Most of us are not just forgotten a decade or two past our death but even by the time we reach old age. Or you work some place for 5 years, think you made a huge impact and have some sort of legacy, and within months of you leaving they've moved on. And after a few years most of the people still there never heard of you. Audrey's story may be an extreme and long version of what most of us experience. When we're young we have a lot of friends and activity and feeling of importance but then sidle off to loneliness and obscurity as we enter old age. When I did my family tree a few years ago it was stark to me how only a tiny miniscule fraction of humanity is remembered past their death for anything. All of my ancestors past my great-grandparents are just a name on a branch and they are known for being born, marrying, creating another branch and dying. The uplifting part of all this is it's this way because it must be meant to be. We can't remember everyone. Just accept it and enjoy the present and don't worry so much about what people are thinking after you're gone.