PERCEPTION AND ATTITUDE CREATES OUR REALITIES!

My Mary Frances Hansen

A person's legacy is the memory someone leaves behind in others and has an impact that remains after they are long gone. I will be 89 years young in November and it made me stop and think.... I am on that back side going down and getting closer to my eternal home. So what legacy do I want to leave behind? First of all above any thing, I want people to see God's light shinning in me. God gave me the gifts of helps and service and I am my happiest when I am extending my hand to help another person. In my younger years I was a Candy Stripper at St.Vincent's Hospital in Little Rock and loved it so much, it inspired me to get my nurse's degree. I loved working in ICU taking care of the sickest of people.

God has given me an abounding love and compassion for others and a positive attitude. I am not perfect by any means and have gone down some detour roads making many mistakes..... but I have always returned back to what my grandparents instilled in me. I want my family and friends to remember me by my faith, compassion, empathy, love, and kindness. Quote from Bible, Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you.”

I had a very special relationship with my granddaddy and grandmother. My grandparents taught me my values and traditions that I have tried to live by all my life and I have passed them down to my children and grandchildren. They played such an intricate part in my life and taught me about God, love, compassion, empathy, and respect for others. They impressed upon me the importance of love, integrity, honesty, inner beauty, and character in a person's life. They made me aware of how important it is to make a difference in the lives of others. They taught me if I wanted a lot of joy in my life to give compliments and make people feel important. We are to lift others up and not tear them down. They also told me to always do the right thing even if it meant standing alone. As we know …..doing the right thing sometimes is not always easy. I know my next statement is a little ambiguous , but if we always did the right things.... we wouldn't have to have rules. They taught me to be a “rule follower!”

My youngest granddaughter who is now 26 and lives in Portland came to visit us for a week this summer. When Briana left to go home she left us a note that really touched our hearts that I wanted to share. “Dear Poppy and Grandmother, You both are a gift in who you are. You mean more than words can say. Thank you for being such wonderful grandparents. I am truly thankful and grateful for all that you do for me. I am happy to be spending some time with you both! I love you so much. Briana.”

I feel the role of grandparents are so important in grandchildren's lives and to share our values we were taught when we were younger. I am so grateful for the values my grandparents instilled in me to live by. A scripture from the Bible, James 4:14 “For what is life? It is like a vapor that appears for a little while and then it vanishes.” We never know what impact our lives have on others.

Stay Strong, Stay Safe, and Keep the Faith!!!