Generations

Generations

Recently, my oldest son, his family, wife and two daughters visited us here in Florida. My husband and I were blessed with three sons and between the three are seven granddaughters. One day we all went to the beach and my mother turned and said to me..."Do you realize there are four generations here?" I looked over at my sons and their families and I counted...my mother (1st generation), myself (2nd generation), my sons (3rd generation) and my grandchildren (4th generation).

"Wow, I said you're right."

There are time when my children and grandchildren are around and I marvel at the blessings I can experience because "The Most High wakes me every morning to give me the breath to exist." How many of us take those reflective moments and realize how grateful we should be?"

In July 2014, I lost my father and I remember many times while both my parents were alive, people telling me who had already experience the lost of a parent, "spend every moment, cherish the time that you have with them."

No argument or disagreement is worth the time lost that you could share when they are no longer here. We always think we have more time, there is always time to talk, to say I love you or apologize for frivolous disagreements that we find out after the fact, was not really that important to begin with. Now, I know and understand what they were trying to tell me. At quiet times, something as small as listening to my Father's voice over the phone saying “Hey sweets, what's up," I miss, when I think about him now.

I wish I could hear his voice again. My father and I had our disagreements and at times, he made me very angry and sometimes I didn't speak to him for a while, but I always had it in the back of my mind to never allow the anger to last for long because I loved him and I knew I didn't want anything to happen and we were estranged from each other. So our disagreements never lasted long. When he passed away I was at peace knowing the memories I had with him was of the good things he added to my life. So now, I can pass these words of afterthoughts on to others. Every moment you have with your love one is a precious gift, not only because you are their legacy, but because it is a lineage that will be passed to the next generation. You want your lineage to be one full of blessings, not a curse.

I truly believe that the relationships we have with our parents, theirs with their parents and so forth good or bad can be better or worse if we choose to make it so with each generation. It is the responsibility of the present generation to make a better example for the next...

We only get a moment in time to forgive before it is too late. Letting go of bitterness and hurt feelings is a lesson more for your own personal wellbeing and spirit then the one who hurt you. It releases you from the responsibility of carrying it like a ball and chain that weighs down your peace of mind and spirit.. If you do not, then it will not only affect you, but will most certainly infect every relationship you encounter hence forward, including your children. 

                                                My Grandfather as a World War 1 soldier

Above is a picture of my mother's father, (my grandfather) that was given to me a few days ago. My grandfather was ninety six when he passed in 1991, he was blessed to see grandchildren, great-grandchildren and even a few great-great grandchildren.  

Wow, what he must have thought looking at his lineage as he sat in the backyard in his chair during family gatherings. 

Before he passed, I recorded a video conversation with him about the generations before him. It was customary in our people's history to tell the stories of past generations to keep our history alive. We must remember to keep this custom within each family, it is important to us as a tribal people. 

Those story tellers were called griots.

gri·ot

ɡrēˈō,ˈɡrēō/

noun

noun: griot; plural noun: griots

a member of a class of traveling poets, musicians, and storytellers who maintain a tradition of oral history in parts of West Africa.

The next time you are together as a family, take note of the generations in the room and if you are like me and my mother, you will see the blessing and the gift bestowed upon you by The Most High and be proud to be a part of the generations of your family's lineage, past, present and future.

PS..Forgiveness applies across the board for anyone, mother, father, brother sister, brother, cousin, etc.