If I could, I would invite Robert “Mr. Believe It or Not” Ripley to write this story, since if he told you this, there may be a smidgen of a chance that you would believe him. Surely and certainly you’re not going to believe it if you hear it from me!
Nevertheless, “Believe It or Not” there was a time – around the middle of the 15th century – when people, mostly from northern Europe, were convinced that when a person was in love their eyes turned blue. Among those who believed this outlandish idea were those who thought that when a gentleman gave a lady blue flowers it was a sign of true and everlasting devotion.

The “Forget-Me-Not” flower, a blue, white, or pink bloom that is botanically known as Myosotis grows in prolific amounts along high-elevation riverbanks and in marsh lands in cool climates. There is a legend on how myosotis got its common name. The tale goes like this: once there was a knight and his lady who were on an outing. When they came upon a patch of blue myositis, the knight insisted that his lady wait by the river’s edge while he fetched a bouquet of flowers for her.
Regrettably, he lost his footing and fell into the river. He was instantly swept away, but before he drowned, he was able to toss the flowers to his lady as he shouted, “Forget-Me-Not!”
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Time passed and “Believe It or Not” postcard manufacturers decided that forget me not or thinking-of-you postcards would be a popular topic. They were right and the cards were used by the thousands.
A favorite set of cards was the Gold Medal Art set published in 1913 by the Midland Publishing Company – that despite their name – had offices in New York and London.
The eight cards each have a word-play rhyme that has a friendly flavor or a romantic notion: “always,” “hope,” “glamor,” “remember,” “repose,” and “wish,” for example.
Each card is artist-signed with the initials, AWB, who may well have been Anne W. Betts, the only artist with those initials in the second edition of The Artist-Signed Postcard Price Guide by J. L. Mashburn, © 2003. (The following is supposed and only assumes that the Anne Betts, who was born in 1885 and lived with her husband George in New Jersey is the same individual, although she was enumerated in the Fifteenth Federal (1930) Census as a graphics artist.)
The cards are an enigma. You thought you were learning history, but history is a puzzle. History is a complex, multidimensional puzzle. It consists of countless fragments and unrelated pieces. Each event in every era contributes to an intricate design, that often overlaps and intersects in ways that can be difficult to decipher. Just as a skilled puzzle solver must piece together seemingly unrelated elements, historians must assemble and analyze threads of information to reconstruct the past. As they navigate the labyrinth of time, they must consider the multiple perspectives that aid in the reconciliation of contradictory accounts. It is the duty of historians to fill the gaps in understanding. By piecing together the fragments, historians can uncover new insights into the events of long ago and how they color the ever-changing canvas of history. With each new discovery, the puzzle deepens, encouraging continued exploration, but one thing is absolute – history does not change. Revisionism is dangerous.
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The following is a look at a historical event that took place during World War II. The story is well known because it was first told in a post-war bestselling book. In 2019, the story was re-told by a well-known revisionist historian. We all know who it was. Forget the self-styled historian. Use the comments section to guess who the story is about.
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In a quiet town, there was a little girl named Ella who always found herself daydreaming by a window. She gazed at the stars each night, her heart filled with hope that one day she could have the adventures she read about in books.
As she grew, Ella remembered her dreams and the thrills they brought her. She often wished upon those twinkling stars, yearning for something beyond the boundaries of her small world. Each wish carried a weight of expectation and desire, lighting up her imagination.
As the years passed, Ella left her hometown to explore and to seek what truly satisfied her spirit. She discovered new places, met fascinating people, and learned lessons that made her heart sing. In moments of realization, she paused and felt a deep sense of repose that allowed her to appreciate the world and the path she yearned to find.
Yet, in her travels, Ella often found herself standing beneath the vast sky, feeling a gentle tug at her heart that would remind her of her childhood dreams. Those memories inspired her, grounding her even when her routine took her to unwanted places.
Through the ups and downs, she learned that the essence of life was not just in reaching for her dreams, but in embracing each moment with a heart full of hope and a spirit of gratitude for every experience even when her dreams did not match the reality she lived.
Well written article Ray. Emotion and expansion to WW 1 and the fantastically delicate and multicolor designs of mostly French made’ SILK ‘ cards gives hope that memories are not lost although the distances existed between loved ones. Messages that sometimes appear on the back of the cards or mementos stuffed into the fine silk pockets of these post cards, frequently illustrate ” Forget – me – Not ” sentiments. In collections received to the same family mailings – notes months/years later, that record the death of Father, Husband, Brother, Uncle or other loved one. These socially poignant and moving… Read more »
Sgt. Harry St Ronan Hundleby
I used to devour the “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” books.
I am overwhelmed with reading material and sometimes go a month without looking at this site. Then I get an article like this, and yes, others, that make me wonder how I don’t check out every notification. Interesting stories by people that share a love of something I love as well! Thanks for taking time to share this particular story. It was wonderful! As were the cards!