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>>>Being able to adapt to a new situation and accept it as reality is likely the key to who survives and who doesn’t. <<<

Every so often, I think about how different people would react to survival situations. I can think of some relatives over the years who would do fine... Others, would have apoplexy - I had one GGrandmother of whom my only recollection is of going into a store with her. She wore a big fancy black hat, wore her gloves and carried a cane. She was very German, and didn’t ask for service, she ‘demanded’ it - instantly! I remember we walked into a large store in Philadelphia and she strode up to the first counter and with her cane, WHAP across the counter - ‘Let’s have some service here! Show me your selection of mittens for my great grandson... Made no difference where we were in the store, she had clerks scurrying to gather what she might want from all over the store.

Her daughter (my Paternal Grandmother) was nothing like her. She shared the stature of her mother, but she was one of the most resourceful people who when she needed to learn something, she just did it... Her first job was as a legal secretary. She applied for the job, and then... Then - she taught herself to type during her lunch breaks - and she did it well... She raised 5 successful children and was always a bit of an impish person - like if things were too quiet, she would stir the pot to get the children going over something.

My maternal Grandmother was totally different - she was very musically inclined - she played the violin, piano, even a harp beautifully by ear... Could not read a note of music. In addition to playing the pump organ at church, she also was a bit of what for the time might be called ‘risque’. She played the piano for the silent movies. Just watched the action and made up the music to go with the scene as she went along. In her later years, she showed other talents - organizing. She is the only person I ever saw who never batted an eye when someone would come over to help her - she could line up more work for them faster than anyone I ever saw... You could have 30 people and she would have them all with a job to do - and she would keep the whole project in mind and without any hesitancy, she would dole out your next job instantly. When they were all done, the project complete, she always could come up with another one - Never losing the opportunity to get something done.

Each of them were totally different, but you know, I think they all three (all depression era survivors) would make it today.

Each of them were totally different, but you know, I think they all three (all depression era survivors) would make it today.

I imagine most from the depression era and many from the WWII era would have the right attitudes to make it. Today we've gone weak and whiny and people aren't built of the same stuff. At least, not the majority of people I see. I sure hope they can change when they need to.

There's a book out (one of hundreds in my Amazon wish list) that talks about 5 different personality types that make it into the 'Survivor's Club' - the fighter, believer, connector, thinker and eternal realist. Any of these can survive a situation, although each are different. I guess the author has interviewed numerous people that have survived all sorts of situations and came out with this break down of traits.

BTW, your description of your German GGmother had me laughing. One side of my family was from Czechoslovakia (similar personality types to Germans, I think) and my grandmother reminded me of her. We would go to visit her in Kansas, and when it was 6:30 and we weren’t up yet, she would come and open the drapes in our room, announcing that the day was being wasted. Then we’d go to have some fried mush for breakfast. The menu never changed - and neither did she. ;)