I woke up at 3am this morning with a startling realization – I'm the oldest living male on both sides of my family. The baton has been passed. The good news is I can still rely on my mother, the oldest living member of her generation on her side of the family, for important life lessons. Also, there is great wisdom on both sides of the family in our current generation tasked with making the world better before it's our turn to step aside.
The stories of our forefathers will be told for generations in our family. My own stories I've been sharing here on this blog since 2009 will outlive me. While I'm in possession of the baton I will do my best to help make our own world better. Jesus is the one I turn to for the necessary wisdom to navigate a world that sometimes appears divided and hostile. I will continue to look in the mirror and work on my own weaknesses while remembering the lessons of those who came before me.
Perhaps the greatest lesson I learned from both parents is about forgiveness. It's the last lesson dad passed on to us and he did it with my mother at his bedside during his last days. This lesson is almost impossible to learn if you grew up in a household where forgiveness is more a sign of weakness than a way of life. It's the missing ingredient in our culture. My life completely transformed when I learned this lesson later in my life. If there is a number two issue to share, in my opinion, this has to do with worry. Don't worry. Waking up at 3am startled doesn't have to mean your life is filled with worry. See the opportunity in front of you and seize the day. Run your race to completion. Help others along the way. Keep running. Have a great day.
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