Legacy

Given my current addiction to all things Olympic, its not surprising that I've gotten caught up in some of the amazing stories of women in the Olympics.  Take the story of Pandelala Pamg who became the first Malaysian woman to win an Olympic medal.  Or Sarah Attar who became the first Saudi woman to compete in the Olympics.  Not to mention American women like Kerri Walsh Jennings & Misty May Treanor, Venus & Serena Williams and Gabby Douglas who also made history this year with their wins. 

Being the mother of girls, this has made me think about the messages I want to send my own girls about the bright future ahead of them.  But I can't help but think about the future, without thinking about the past.

My Grandma Delia was a woman who showed me how wonderful it was to be a woman.  She embraced her femininity and didn't apologize for it.  She reveled in homemaking, in making people feel welcome in her home, in taking care of others.  She loved those things and was good at them.  I learned from her how wonderful it feels to be loved.  I learned to be proud of being a woman and to make use of the divine gifts I've been given as a woman.  I learned that you were never too old to try something new.  She was full of faith and trust in the Lord.  I saw a woman who could carry all the softness and tenderness in the world, and yet be independent, strong and brave.

My Grandma Jarrell is a woman who has shown me that women are tough, strong and resilient.  That you can face heartbreaking trials in life, but that life can go on and be beautiful.  I have learned from her that when there's a job that needs doing, you can dive right in and do it yourself.  She has never held back from something that might seem scary or unfamiliar.  You face the task head on and move forward.  She can be witty, sarcastic, and hilarious or stoic, fierce and strong as the situation demands.  She's talented.  She's smart.  She's generous. She's a woman of faith.  I've seen from her how wonderful it is to be fully present in your life and really living it, not just watching it pass you by.  She is indomitable.

My Mom is a woman who is the epitome of Motherhood.  If there was ever someone who was born to be a mother, it is her.  She is patient and kind.  She somehow managed to show me that she was always there when I needed her, but also allowed me the independence to spread my wings and fly.  She is smart and dependable and steady.  She is the bond that makes our family strong.  She has shown me how wonderful it is to be a part of a family.  She is resourceful when times are tough, she keeps going when the going gets tough and she never, ever, ever gives up.  She taught me to rely on the Lord, to turn to Him when I needed help and that He would never let me down.  As Abraham Lincoln said (and I echo), "All that I am, or hope to be,  I owe to my angel mother."

When I was getting married, a sweet lady at church told me, "You come from a long line of elect ladies."  And she was right.

So when I tell my girls about the bright future ahead of them, I will tell them about the bright women who came before them.  Those women who were trailblazers in their own lives and in their own ways and who have helped pave the way for them to blaze their own trails.