Nine-year-old Annie lives in Washington with her family. She is the namesake of her great-grandmother, Anna. Recently, she and her mother were visiting grandparents in Utah.One morning, with no appointments or events, it was a good opportunity to read. An avid reader, Annie sounds out unfamiliar words and is a bit annoyed if anyone tries to help her.Annie was curious about a red book perched on the top shelf of the bookcase. "What is that book, grandma?" she asked."That is the journal your great-grandfather, Willy Fassmann, wrote when he was a 17-year-old soldier during World War I. You know, he is the husband of the great-grandmother after whom you were named. Would you like to read it?"Foolish question. Of course, she was not only willing but also eager to read the personal journal of an ancestor. It was an English translation of the journal, originally written in German. So sitting side by side, Annie read aloud while grandma did some mending.Halfway through the journal, a remarkable thing happened. Annie caught it quickly. Her great-grandfather, who made the entry as a young, unmarried man, was writing to her. He wrote that during a fierce battle in Soisson le Bois, France, three of his comrades had been killed and he was shot in the leg.As Willy was bleeding and in much pain, a French soldier came by and was about to shoot him. Willy raised his arms and begged for his life."Oh, you are only a child," the soldier said and ran away, leaving Willy there to die.The journal continued: "Several hours passed and I was in so much pain and despair. Now, even though my hands are trembling as I write this entry, I am determined to go ahead with it in order that future generations and my posterity can come themselves to the right conclusion. (Because of the pain) the idea came into my mind to take my own life. With all my might I tried to slide forward to reach my rifle which was still loaded. Nearby was a tree branch and the thought came to me that I could use the branch to pull the rifle closer where I could reach it. As I stretched to reach it, behold! the stick broke in pieces right in my hand. This saved my life."Shortly afterward, two Red Cross orderlies found me, took me to a field hospital and mended my wounds. I was then a prisoner of war."Annie's eyes were wide. She looked at her grandmother and said, "I am the future posterity he was writing about! He wanted me to know about this experience.""Indeed you are, sweetheart, and at the time he wrote that entry in his journal, he couldn't even know if he would survive. He could not be sure he would have a posterity. I'm sure the Lord was watching over him and directing his actions. Now read what happened after that."It was a solemn moment. Annie and her grandmother contemplated what had just been read. Annie was excited to think that almost 100 years ago, her great-grandfather had left a message for her to read.How often we are admonished to keep a journal for future generations to read. How easy to brush it off with the thought that they will never read it.Annie had just received a priceless reward reading the journal from a loving relative written so long ago.
Eleanor F. Hoagland lives in Bountiful, Utah.