How the gift of a plant helped Emma Freud finally get to know her great-grandfather
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This bit, about Freud's grandson (the author's father) is hilarious:
On one occasion when he appeared on the Johnny Carson chat show in the US, he had it written into his contract that he wouldn’t answer questions about Sigmund. Carson obviously sensed a story and asked the grandfather question, so my dad answered at length about his mother’s father, who had been a banker in Berlin.
By rendall 2026-01-107:49 ...my sister once came home from school saying: “The nuns mentioned someone called Sigmund Freud and said I should know who he is.”
“Ah,” said my father in a serious tone (his only tone) . “That’s awkward. He was my grandfather; he invented the flush toilet. If anyone mentions his name again, change the subject.” My sister believed this for years.
By janesconference 2026-01-108:182 reply Fun fact, I guess: I acquired a cutting of that same Sigmund Freud begonia that was successfully propagated into three big plants that live in my house. My fiancee worked at the Freud Museum / house for a while in London, and the plant was gifted to her when she left the job.
By resumenext 2026-01-108:271 reply I’d be so neurotic about watering it I would probably kill it just for catharsis.
By temp0826 2026-01-1010:54 Seems a little fitting to over-mother it to death
By bschmidt800 2026-01-1114:13 [dead]
By johnea 2026-01-0923:13 I have a number of plants that I inherited from my Mom. Some I remember from as far back as my early childhood (and I'm over 65!).
Maintaining these living legacies has a lot of meaning for me.
These same living plants were nourished and loved by my Mom through her life.
What a great remembrance...
