Living Up to Family Legacies

/in /by

One is the sum of all that creates what you are – genes, heritage,
education, experience, wisdom, history, and view. Though I come from
meager Appalachian beginnings – God fearing parents and
grandparents who worked and dreamed for better for their children.
God has opened doors for me beyond my wildest dreams.
Within my genes He imprinted the memories of generations past that
reached to the corners of the world in every imaginable way – as
pilgrims, sea captains, explorers, clergy, merchants, founders,
musicians, soldiers, actors, writers, teachers, generals, peasants,
slaves, lords, ladies, kings, queens, and emperors.
From the days before the Roman Empire we have touched those who have
had a hand in forging the human collective forward. Across the world,
I can point to historical elements that weave their way into my
people, my life. I could stand at the feet of statues of many of them
in cities I hope one day to visit; or outside castles, palaces, or
buildings they have built that remain as a testament to their lives.
There were some good people, some bad, and many in between. In life,
He has allowed me to come to know many of their achievements that
have inspired me to strive to create my own and to learn from their
failures and follies.
In my three score and ten, I may not change the world as many of my
grandparents, uncles and aunts did. I may not lead great nations, nor
forge great conquests with my armies as many of them did. I may not
inspire religious dedication bringing the faithful to believe and
serve as some of them did.
I will do though, what is within my power to continue carrying the
light of the family spark each and every day. For centuries the spark
passed, it has inspired men to the call of battle; it inspired men to
write and say words that changed the direction of the world.
I pray just one line I write, one performance I share, one person I
inspire holds fast with the impact as long as some of my
grandfathers’ and grandmother’s actions continuing their tradition.
I am blessed to be a descendant of many great men and women. We all
owe those behind us a great debt for what they gave us.
Take the time to remember and learn from them.

What was in the wind?

/in /by

It flew by me so fast I didn’t see it.

It was certainly a surprise that the wind would carry something so
fast.

But the actuality is that wind is simply a reflection of what we all
see with each passing day as we walk in front of the looking glass.

One day, we are a small child busy rushing to go outside and play.

Before we turn around, we are off to college, sometimes paying more
attention to what’s in the looking glass in hopes we might catch
someone else’s eye.

Then perhaps marriage and children and the glass reflects the wider
view to accommodate the added numbers.

As the gales come and go, we weather the storms of life.

The wind keeps blowing touching upon our hair bringing it touches of
gray and circling our mid-drift leaving a few pounds we did not want
left behind.

One day, we look around and wonder where it all went – the years,
the friends, the children. We see wind cross the glass and there
stands someone who we barely know. Perhaps its our father or mother,
or one of our grands looking back out at us.

The winds of time have passed our face so many times, the skin sags
downward.

No matter how much we pull upon it, we are unable to take away the
wind’s impact.

Some of us even see our hair flying along with the stream as it
let’s go from the strain of the force.

But no matter how fast it seems the wind pushes upon the streams of
our life, we are ultimately riding a similar breeze as everyone who
has come before and millions who walk along beside us.

We may guide how we accept the blowing winds, take them in stride and
realize that while the looking glass may not always reflect what we
desire, within our own head, we are who we always desired to be.

Of course realizing, that no one else has to live within our looking
glass image. When we accept that, then we can smile back at ourselves
knowing that we our holding strong upon our sails and guiding our
vessel in the direction we hope.

So, what was that, that flew by, just another day, another month,
another year, in the winds of time.

Let us ride them happily, hopefully and graciously towards our
destination beyond the looking glass.

Chase away the darkness

/in /by

When one least expects it, darkness can crawl into our souls and infect our hopes and dreams.

That darkness may take many forms: the sharp words of others; the doubt within our minds; the shortcomings of our own existence; our failures both real or simply perceived.

Any of these and so much more can push us down a path of our own dismay.

When you look upon this darkness, one must assume that it holds no weight upon you although at the time of its revealing it can seem to be an unbearable cloak of tons that wraps around you.

There is hardly a soul that walks this earth, that at some point will not see this specter become part of their existence.

But beyond its entrance, it is within our power to cast off the cloak letting our light to turn the darkness into a mere memory.

Strength of the soul is granted to each of us, its a gift that God bestowed upon us at birth. Of course, He expects us to renew the gift by our faith, whether we are finding it a new or if it is our constant companion.

I have often found my self seeking to refresh the strength that He bestowed through His word and through my prayers uplifted to Him. The darkness still manages to creep in upon the corners desiring to gain a foothold.

Those who allow that to become a presence, can easily find their path occluded. We must each day strive towards the light closer to our better nature. We must cast off any of those dark thoughts and encumbrances which might pull us down and away from the blessings in our life.

Those things, our greatest ones—the hopes and dreams that we have, pale in comparison to the ones He has for us.

I urge you, take the time, to place a light to shine away the darkness both inside and outside your soul.

We must strive each day to shine that light within our circle of life and touch all that come our way.
Through these means, we will help to keep all the corners bright.

May your days be filled with the Light of the world.