Memory Lane - Too Much Titanic

One of the things I have come to expect as a parent of Aspies is that when our boys become interested in something, it becomes the primary focus of their life.  As Toddlers, it was Blue's Clues.  They were never without a "Handy Dandy Notebook", they had "Thinking Chairs" and they even had the same shirts as Steve and Joe.

And so it goes.  I can tell you more than you ever wanted to know about Thomas the Tank Engine, Toy Story, Super Heroes, Star Wars and Harry Potter, and more.  They are definitely immersion learners.  If we provide the means, they quickly become experts.

When discussing their favorite bands, they can tell you the biographies of the members, the albums available, which track a song can be found on and how long the track is.  They will tell you about their favorite Lego sets, including prices, piece counts and release dates.

When they were about seven years old, they learned about the RMS Titanic, and her terrible fate.  Soon, they had read books, watched documentaries, learned the names of the crew and passengers, and the timeline from the construction, to the day she sunk.  They know the coordinates of where the wreckage lies, and watched footage of the underwater exploration.

 The RMS Titanic, White Star Lines

Being visual learners, they enjoyed the DVDs and books with photographs the most.  They were very impressed by the luxury and the elegance.  The beautiful dining room china and crystal, the clothing and jewelry worn by the passengers, the carved staircase, and the fancy guest quarters all left quite an impression on their young minds.

Several of the narrations all came to the same conclusion.  The sinking of the Titanic was the "tragic end of an era."

The bow of the Titanic in her undersea grave.

Photo credit Emory Kristof/National Grographic 

At this same time, in our hometown, there was a large fabric store that my mother loved to frequent.  It was in a great location, and had a wide selection of items that she needed for her quilting.  We would often meet her there if we had plans to do something together.

Then, one day we drove by and saw the sign.  "GOING OUT OF BUSINESS"

I pointed it out to the boys who were in the back seat, and we all agreed that their grandmother was NOT going to be very happy to hear this news.

Then, I heard a quiet, thoughtful, voice remark, "This is the tragic end of an era....."

Indeed, it was.  And now, whenever we close a chapter in our lives, I'm sure you can guess what we say.  =)