Links and Chains
This blog/website started out in the beginning as something Steve put together for me to use as an outlet for writing, trying not to let all those writing classes and awesome news story skills go to waste. I never really got into it and so Steve was the main contributor, then we used it as a place to write reviews and finally it has become our family journal. Of course after Gabriella was born there were many more pictures to post and that made it easy for me to let our family far away see what we were up to. Lately I think I've felt the need to just write, it might have something to do with finding a stack of articles I wrote for NewsNet and the BYU newspaper the other day. (FYI: I Googled my maiden name and my articles still show up, crazy!)

Interview with President Bateman during BYU Women's B-ball game/ KMBC
Maybe a part of me doesn't want to let all that schooling go to waste, but if that was the case I would be working for channel 7 or Fox, right? I think about that once in a while and wondered why I wasn't so gun-ho, I think that the environment and constrictions of flexibility is what decided it for me. Working Sundays, no holidays off didn't sound very appealing, especially when my family was so far away. I wouldn't say living far away is great, indeed it is a double edged sword so I try not to get cut.
I thought about something Steven's father said when we were snowed in at their house having our own Sacrament meeting. It didn't really sink in at first but looking back I understand what he meant. He talked in essence about family. Keeping in touch with your family, being close to your family, creating and keeping those bonds intact with those who you may not see very often but certainly could call more.
I don't know of too many others that can say they got to eat lunch everyday with their Great-Grandmother who lived 2 houses down from the High School. Granted she tried to make Grilled Cheese by putting the bread in the toaster first, and who got locked in her bedroom one day, luckily I was there to kick the door down.
Not too many I guess have had the chance to have birthday parities where both sets of Grandparents came every year and who came to watch your basketball games even if you didn't get to play very long. Not too many can say they got to know 3 out of 4 great-grandmothers. On the other side of that sword sacrifices were made just to give their children that chance. I wonder how their lives could have been different. Were there negative effects right along with the positive ones of living in close proximity to immediate family. I think every family is different, location plays a big part of it and each has to make the choice for themselves. I am grateful for the sacrifice my parents made to give my siblings and I the chance to create those bonds. It is a little past due, but it makes me so happy to see them have the opportunity to finally go their own way and do what is best for them.
So I guess what started out as a whining note metamorphosed into a heartfelt thank you to my parents for their sacrifices and the chance to create bonds, now it is up to me to keep them strong or to be that link in the chain of generations that breaks.
Thank goodness for emails, "I Chat", and airports.
"Never permit yourself to become a weak link in the chain of your generations." (Keep the Chain Unbroken: Gordon B. Hinckley, Nov. 30, 1999 BYU Devotional)
1 Comments:
I loved this. You are a great writer, and it made me cry to see the neat pics of you and your family and Gabriella and her grandmothers. Those are precious pictures!
I am thankful for the link that you are in our family and that through Steven, I am linked to you.
Post a Comment
<< Home