Tonight I am in St. Louis, with four hours to go tomorrow. We’ll head directly to the location of the second day of Beth’s swim meet. She competed tonight, quite successfully from what I hear. We landed in our hotel later than normal and my mom is crashed. (She said I could stay up and write my "blurbs" while she went to bed!!) We didn’t leave Tennessee until about lunchtime. I am still trying to process what I experienced this past twenty-four hours in that nursing home. I can’t help but wonder if I will see my relatives again during their lifetime. Sadly, I am compelled to say I hope I don't. They are so miserable.


I checked email tonight and one was from a member of my Disciple I Bible study last year. She is a breast cancer survivor … and the cancer has returned in the form of two spots on her lungs. Her positive attitude and faith are amazing. She’s the mom to elementary aged kids.


Someone commented on my post about relationships being at the beginning and end of life, that it was a gift to reminisce with my aging relatives and give them something else to think about. I have so many positive memories of time spent with them. As we were driving north, I told my mom how that was part of the huge loss I felt about Amy. One of the most amazing gifts that a happy family provides to its members are memories. When Amy rejected us, she rejected the memories she might have created. When she looks back upon her early years, does she remember anything? If she does, what does she remember?


Most people have positive and negative memories of their childhood, but one probably outweighs the other. I have many happy memories of my childhood. It wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty darn good. I know many of you have very negative memories. And I also know you are striving to create positive ones for your kids.


But like my friend with cancer, who chooses to have a positive attitude about her challenges, your kids must choose their path. Just as I wrote in this post, when one of Steph’s friend’s mom unexpectedly died, it made me wonder what Amy’s thoughts would be if I suddenly departed this earth. What kind of memories would she have?


Isn't it incredibly sad ... what our kids are missing and what they choose to refuse?


Check out this advice for making family memories.


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