simplify

Some days, the events in life align in specific ways so that certain underlying blessings are brought to the surface and we can’t help but notice how they’ve permeated every aspect of our lives.

For me, that began a few months ago as we celebrated my great-grandmother’s 92nd birthday, then a few weeks later cleaned out her house for it it be sold.

 I love that most of my family lives in this crazy city. I love that among the bunch there are plenty of folks I know I can depend on for wisdom and support. But the truth that settled into my heart in a new way, was what an amazing lineage of women that I belong to. I could write for days about each of them: my  great-grandmothers, grandmothers, and my mom. They are all the type of women who have perfected the art of taking every part of their lives and crafting whatever ordinary they’ve been given into something beautiful. They’re all strong-willed in their own way and have this eternal optimism that may seem naive on the surface, but in reality has come from seeing what can come of broken things - and broken people. 

As they pulled things down from my great-grandmother’s attic one by one, it struck me that all this “stuff” made her no greater. The things that I love her for could have come easily without all that extra... burden. And I realized that so often it’s easy for me to accumulate things--thinking they may add to the quality of my life or in some way could define who I am. It’s easier sometimes--in my own mind--to be defined by my things rather than by my character, because the former is far more easily acquired. And in my flawed thinking, I spend my resources, time, and energy on things rather than experiences... rather than people. 

As all the stuff was coming down from the attic... lamps and mugs and decorations and extension chords... things that hadn’t been touched in years... I spotted a board. Just a plain piece of wood. And I decided I wanted to make it a reminder of what I had so vividly been understanding over the past few months. So this is what I made:

Because it’s easy for forget sometimes, that the things that define us and leave a legacy are not things at all. I’m so thankful to the incredible women in my family--and my Grahams’ attic--for the gentle reminder.