I cannot believe 2017 is half over already. It's been a while since I've posted on my blog, so I revisited my
"mission statement" as well as my "six-word-memoir".
I began this blog when Lucy was a baby ... it was my intent to write her (and now including Tag along with future generations) some history & values from me. I grew up in a rural community in West Virginia surrounded my family. My Granny was the center of family life and I was blessed to have my aunts, uncles & cousins in our little corner of the world.
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| Several family not pictured at the time... and several are now Home in Heaven |
My Granny was never a person who wanted or thrived for attention. She went about her daily activities -- taking care of her family, gardening, housekeeping, caring for people in our community -- and never expected anything in return.
Granny was simply being where God needed her most.
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| My Granny ... love her always & miss her daily |
Along with my Granny, my parents set the role model standard for hard work. Before my sister came along (when I was almost 9 years old), my parents each worked 2 jobs in the nearest city (about 30 miles from home). Nothing was taken for granted. And they never complained.
My Daddy taught me that when you make a commitment to something, you simply see it through... even when it was hard. You never quit. And even when he was so tired from working so hard, he still found the energy to play with me & my cousins. Because kids grow up fast and only have one childhood.
My Mother taught me to that it is perfectly okay to stand up for what I believe in... not to be swayed by "the crowd". You never make fun of anyone, but instead you stand up for the underdog... because you could possibly be the only voice they have.
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| My parents with granddaughters & greats |
I will post later on what each of my aunts & uncles taught me just through them living their everyday lives. Because that's how we learn, isn't it? We can sit & listen to lecture after lecture of How to Live Life 101... but let's face it -- we live in real life.
We observe real life. We experience real life. We model real life to our future generations.
So I'm asking myself this question ...
What will my future generations have to say about how I impacted their lives
when they are my age?
Did I have a positive influence on them?
Did I show them through my actions how to love others & treat others as God has instructed?
Whether we admit it or not...
whether we like it or not...
whether we ever see it or not...
We are the role models for all the future generations coming after us. We are either positive or negative role models -- but we are one or the other.
The choice is up to each of us.
My Granny never had to think about helping someone... whether family or friend or a stranger. She simply did it. My Granny never had to think about working in her garden or being there for a family member or friend who needed her. She simply did it. My Granny never held a grudge against anyone nor talked about anyone. And she was most likely the one who was such a positive role model to everyone who ever met her.
I have seen both my parents go out of their way to be positive role models to everyone around them. They've put family needs before their own desires... they've worked hard to provide for their family... and they have shown unconditional love to all of us.
These 3 people in my life have been so much more than "blessings"...
they are the very foundation of who I am
and who I hope to be
How can we go about our daily lives knowing that we have a choice on what kind of role model we are to our future generations?
