Leaving a Legacy Part III - My Turn

 

Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past.  Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. ~Deuteronomy 32:7

This past week, I embark on the same mission that Danny completes in April:  removing my many printed photos from their albums and relocating them in organized, labeled drawers.

My goal is to have this fully accomplished by the time my daughter and son-in-law arrive this coming Saturday with the three grand-girls to spend a whole week with us just as they did last December.  Setting a deadline becomes a surefire motivator!

Working on this project, of course, evokes memories of joyful experiences, but seeing the faces of children now grown and parents no longer with us trigger sadness, too.  I struggle with a longing to return to the times revealed by the photos, not to relive them, but to better appreciate all the treasures they held then and hold now in my heart.  Tears well on more than one occasion as I choose which photos should be stored in which category.

The grand-girls, Virginia, Savannah and Alexandra, haven't seen many photos of their mother, Sarah, as a little girl or teenager, or of their uncle, Daniel, when he was going through those same stages.  I'm hoping that looking at them together while they're visiting will generate curiosity on their part to know more about their lineage, at least on this side of the family.

Honestly, there are so many questions that I wish I had asked my grandparents and even my parents while they were still living, but failed to do so.  I want to encourage our grands to inquire of me here and now while I have breath and my faculties are intact.  That may sound a bit morbid, and perhaps it is, but it's also realistic.

And once this project is completed?  I've promised Virginia to begin writing a memoir of what life was like for me and for Papa when we were growing up.  That would be a gift for all three grandchildren, needless to say, but Virginia is the one who makes the request during their last visit.  I plan to do everything I can to honor that in the weeks and months to come.

It's my turn to leave a legacy.

Amen!

Due to the family being here, I will not be posting next Tuesday and I may not get around to other blogs as I usually do.  Thanks for understanding!