Sharing Family Stories...

and how that connects us

“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” ~ Desmund Tutu

Winters in Wisconsin can be a challenge and this past winter (and spring) have given us unprecedented snowfall and storms. After two failed attempts to get together to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, two of my siblings and their spouses, and my son and I were finally successful last Saturday. 

I was curious about the saying, “the third times a charm”, so I looked it up and discovered there are different suggestions on the origins of this popular idiom. Some feel it has a religious component referring to the Holy Trinity while others point out that the number three is seen as a lucky number and that one should, “try, try and try again”. Once you’ve tried that third time (and hopefully succeeded) your perseverance will have paid off and brought you some good fortune.

Luckily for us the third time was indeed a charm and we made it back down to my birthplace, Janesville, Wisconsin. Traveling long distances, coming from multiple directions and several hundred miles combined, we managed to visit with aunts, uncles and cousins, enjoy beautifully prepared foods, including incredible desserts (my favorite) and most importantly, we got to spend precious time together.

I have always enjoyed my Irish heritage and getting together and listening to family stories has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Robust conversations and great food - that is what I think of when I think of my family while I was growing up.

When someone entered our parent’s home, our father, who would always extend his hand and exchange a hearty handshake, would warmly greet people and begin a conversation. A good conversation was one of his favorite past-times.

Our mother would also extend her graciousness but in a different way. As our father would talk with his guests, our mother would create a beautiful meal in the background. Within minutes, guests would be offered a variety of delicious foods.

As a couple, our parents created a home much like their own parents - one filled with love and great food. As each of us grew up and created our own homes and families, we tried to emulate what we saw and felt.

Last weekend, as we gathered with the people our parents knew and loved, we had the opportunity to share memories (and many laughs) and, in the process, in a way, bring back those two wonderful people through our words, actions and our love for them and each other.

I think that’s how those we have loved and lost can still remain with us - You may not see them in the room with you at the time, but they really are there because they live on - through all of us.

Smile Video

Eleven-year-old Jude Kofie, of Aurora, Colorado, demonstrated a remarkable talent no one anticipated when he discovered an old keyboard and, without any lessons, began playing - a talent piano tuner Bill Magnusson termed "Mozart level." Correspondent Steve Hartman reports on the generosity that was music to Jude's ear.

#believe #stevehartman #smilevideos

What I am reading…

This past winter I helped start a book club at the church where I work as part of their process of becoming a W.I.S.E. (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive and Engaged) congregation. W.I.S.E. congregations recognize and work to reduce stigma and promote the inclusion of people with mental illnesses/brain disorders and their families. 

This week I am working on reading our book choice for the next few meetings entitled The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by Dalai Lama and Desmund Tutu.

The following is from the description on Amazon:

“Two great spiritual masters share their own hard-won wisdom about living with joy even in the face of adversity. 

The occasion was a big birthday. And it inspired two close friends to get together in Dharamsala for a talk about something very important to them. The friends were His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The subject was joy. Both winners of the Nobel Prize, both great spiritual masters and moral leaders of our time, they are also known for being among the most infectiously happy people on the planet. 

From the beginning the book was envisioned as a three-layer birthday cake: their own stories and teachings about joy, the most recent findings in the science of deep happiness, and the daily practices that anchor their own emotional and spiritual lives. Both the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu have been tested by great personal and national adversity, and here they share their personal stories of struggle and renewal. Now that they are both in their 80s, they especially want to spread the core message that to have joy yourself, you must bring joy to others. 

Most of all, during that landmark week in Dharamsala, they demonstrated by their own exuberance, compassion, and humor how joy can be transformed from a fleeting emotion into an enduring way of life. level of peace, of courage, and of joy to which we can all aspire in our own lives.”

This week’s TED Talk - The power of family stories

I have watched TED Talks for many years now. I love the wide variety of experiences and opinions TED Talks offer. Here is one I would like to share for this week:

Elizabeth Gruebel is a therapist, an instructor, a mother, and a lover of stories. She is a cheerleader for all people and works hard everyday to help others find their voice, inspiration, and work toward their own personal growth. She is here to talk about the power of family stories.  The story she shares is powerful - Please watch it!

Holistic Wellness Spotlight - exploring the mind/body connection

The power of positive thoughts and affirmations is so important. How you speak to yourself can change your outlook and your attitude for both yourself and those around you. I invite you to listen and repeat these affirmations either out loud or in your mind for twenty-one days to help establish new positive thought patterns.

 National Poetry Month

Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month is a special occasion that celebrates poets’ integral role in our culture and that poetry matters. Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K–12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, families, and—of course—poets, marking poetry’s important place in our lives. 

This month I am sharing my favorites - Here is the fourth one:

Children’s Corner

Every now and then we make mistakes. Kids make mistakes and adults do the same thing too. Todd Parr's "It's Okay to Make Mistakes" reminds us we don't need to be perfect.

StoryCorps

I love StoryCorps because of the wonderful way they collect and share stories. Their mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world. Learn more at storycorps.org. All interviews are preserved at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Here is one great example.

“The door slid aside, and there she stood — the prettiest girl I had ever seen.”

In the time it took Paul Wilson to ride the elevator up 10 floors to his office, he knew he had met someone special – Wilma. He had just been drafted and was about to spend three years in the service. Three days after returning, Paul and Wilma were married. They remained together and in love for the next 63 years.

At StoryCorps, Paul reminisced about the first time he laid his eyes on the love of his life.

Quote of the week

Until next week. Please remember…Begin and end each day with a grateful heart…and always, always be kind….