Thankful for the Past while Enjoying the Present
We inherit from our ancestors gifts so often taken for granted. Each of us contains within, this inheritance of soul. We are links between the ages, containing past and present expectations, sacred memories and future promise. – Edward Sellner
2021 has been a challenge. My mother passed away on February 26, 2021 after a lingering illness and a horrific fall that she never recovered from. COVID still looms and leaves us with a lot of uncertainty. Life is not always easy nor is the path always well defined. Amidst this, I am able to find much to be thankful for.
I’ve spent a lot of time on genealogical research this year. My study of genealogy has made me more understanding and less judgmental of ancestors and relatives. I’m grateful for the sacrifices, opportunities, and perseverance of past generations. I’m thankful that I have discovered so many stories of my ancestors. It has been incredibly interesting and rewarding. I truly feel like I’ve gotten to know many of them. “Everyone’s life is worth remembering. (Mattson).” I feel honored that I am able to memorialize many of these stories for present and future generations. We are who we are today because of the past as well as our own choices, decisions, and actions.
I am thankful for growing up in the family that I did. Even though we were financially poor, I was given the gift of a loving family that focused on family and church. They instilled in me the value of living a simple life and encouraged a strong work ethic.
I don’t have a bucket list. My life has far exceeded what I ever dreamed was possible when I was young. I’m very fortunate to have married a man who has the same intrinsic values that I have. We support and encourage each other and enjoy spending time together. We have had the opportunity to travel (seriously, growing up I never imagined that I would go to Europe multiple times – I never envisioned that it would ever be feasible) and continue to enjoy many special adventures.
I am thankful that I am where I am at this point in life. After a combined 75 years as teachers, Gary and I were able to retire earlier than we expected. I am really glad that we were already retired when COVID hit and changed the educational landscape overnight. It would have been particularly difficult for Gary because as a middle school band director his program was totally hands-on and required in-person interaction.
Upon retirement, we made the decision to downsize, sell our California house, and move to Las Vegas. We like the desert (we are not fans of humidity) and Las Vegas offered a world class airport and tons of entertainment options. We found a house in a 55+ community with a nice clubhouse and activities that we can choose (or not) to participate in. Our house is perfect for us and provides the opportunity to age in place. It is one story (when we built our California house, it was my dream from childhood to have a two-story house) and we went from 2600 square feet to 1550. We have all solid surfaces, grab bars already installed, an open floor plan, and a wonderful outdoor patio with outdoor kitchen and two fire pits. One of my great pleasures is to sit outside and enjoy a beverage while reading my latest novel.
Sources
Estes, Roberta, and Vivian Cox Hall on November 21. “Thankfulness Recipe.” DNAeXplained – Genetic Genealogy, 23 July 2019, https://dna-explained.com/2018/11/21/thankfulness-recipe/.
Joan Griffis August, et al. “15 Genealogy Quotes We Love.” Family History Daily, 5 May 2018, https://familyhistorydaily.com/family-history/15-genealogy-quotes-love/.
Mattson, Bonnie. “The Gratitude That Comes from Family History.” The Family History Guide Blog, 16 Jan. 2019, http://www.thefhguide.com/blog/the-gratitude-that-comes-from-family-history/.