Food for thought

When going through some things that my Mother gave me from my Grandmother, I found this article clipped out of the Sun Valley Shopper May 7, 1970. This article sums up my Grandmother exactly as I remember her. It was written by Cleo B. Southerland in "Thoughts to live by". I thought I'd share it with you today.

A Mother's Will

I bequeath to my children; the wisdom to see: 

Beauty - in the fresh plowed earth in the spring.

Beauty - in the lowliest weeds, 

as they cover God's earth and bloom in the spring.

Beauty - in the cactus on the desert, 

the giant saguaros that lift their arms, as if in silent prayer.

Beauty - in the trees, especially the cottonwoods, 

where each leaf is a tiny fan, with perpetual motion.

Beauty - in the birds, 

from the buzzard and hawk that sail to high in the sky, to the tiniest sparrow.

Beauty - in the mountains, that tower so majestically toward the sky, 

and make one feel so small, humble and insignificant.

Beauty - in the sun rise, as its golden fingers reach across the heavens, 

when it ascends from behind the mountains.

Beauty - in the sky in the spring, 

the soft, fluffy clouds, flouting in the heavens.

Beauty - in a summer storm, as the lightening flashes, thunder roars 

and the rain comes down in sheets.

Beauty - in the sunset, when the western skies turn red and gold, 

and as the sun sinks farther behind the mountains, 

the colors slowly fade to pink, purple and blue.

Beauty - in the moonlight nights, 

when the shadow of the trees make lacy, fascinating patterns on the ground.

Beauty - in the silence of a still, dark night, 

when it looks as if you could reach up and touch the stars.

Beauty - in the face of a little child, 

when his eyes stare wide with innocence, or dance with mischievousness.

Beauty - in the faces of the aged, where life as written its stories in the wrinkles, 

and the eyes are dim and clouded with memories of the past.

I leave you the courage to always do what your conscience tells you is right.

The courage to speak up for what is right.

The courage to never let anything take away your faith, hopes and dreams.

I leave you the wisdom to know that you hold the key to happiness within you. 

That no one can ever hurt you, but yourself.

I leave you the wisdom to love instead of hate, 

hope instead of despair, work and never give up. 

No greater wealth than these things, can anyone give you. 

Take them with my love, Mother.

As we begin this new year, we have the chance to set goals and resolutions to help us become our best selves, the people that we want to be remembered by, by our children and our grandchildren. Here's a picture of my dear Grandma, who I look up to in so many ways. Doesn't she have a beautiful smile? She was a beautiful person and I love and miss her dearly. She was the kind of person that noticed every little blessing from heaven - the smells, the sights, the sounds of the earth. Each one witnessed to her of the Divine Creator. And she shared that love and that witness to her children and grandchildren.

My Grandmother who I remember and love for
her laugh, her love for nature and her love for God