Issue 15.13
Being a bad example can be good. Sharing with your children and grandchildren mistakes and choices you made in life, how you responded, and what it taught you can be worthwhile advice. I remember listening to my mom tell about her dating experiences in high school when I was a teen and not dating. Much of what we learn in life can come vicariously from watching or learning from others’ experiences; not having to go through the same situations, seeing the results of their choices then committing to live differently. It’s important to write your life story to preserve the lessons you learned the hard way. Some of your descendents will read and learn from your experiences.
Somehow I never got into the drug scene as a teen, but did watch others in my family deal with those issues. Drunkenness held no fascination for me as I watched it lead others to questionable choices. I was raised in a conservative culture that protected me in many ways. For a while in Junior College, I was involved with the world of theatre. While exciting and creative, it also had its drawbacks as I observed the lives of many frustrated performers trying to find fulfillment in unorthodox ways. Watching their questionable behavior, I learned without following their path that there must be a better way. I remember being shocked about how the real world lived after my graduation from high school as a naïve teenager.
Positive examples of others as we interacted led me to make decisions that determined who I would marry, what college I would attend, etc. The quiet examples of my grandparents’ long lasting marriage and the unchanging old-fashioned values that my mom raised me with were an anchor to my life and a guide through the challenges that always come.
Our example to others speaks louder than we think. How important is the advice we could write and leave for our posterity. My youngest grandchildren don’t know my mother, their great grandmother, because she died before they were born. But the history of her life that she wrote is something that can be passed on to them. If I could leave anything for my posterity if would be that I believe in a higher power and hope for a better world. My faith in ultimate truth and the purpose of living has sustained me throughout my life.
NEXT TIME: Overcoming Hopelessness. Want to learn how to write FREE VERSE poetry? Lin will be teaching a new class POETRY WORDSHOP on Sat, April 13 from 10am-3pm at AHA! Artful Healing Academy 70 W 100 N in St. George. Fee-$30 which includes lunch, contact lin@sunrivertoday.com or call 628-8522. No prior experience necessary.