QUESTION: What are you grateful for?
I am first and foremost grateful for my family, the relationships that I have with them, and the support that they give me.
QUESTION: How has your family impacted your life?
They give me courage. They give me something to be thankful for, and make me feel that I’m a part of something. My family really sets an example. They have moved on and pushed through hard things so that they could have a future. My family has shaped me and given me an example to live by.
"My family has shaped me and given me an example to live by."
QUESTION: How do they give you courage?
Whenever I visit my grandparents, my grandma will always talk about how her dad served in World War I. She said she felt like he was gone for so long while she was a little girl, but it was actually only 18 months. I’ve heard that story over and over again, but now that I’m older I realize that was really crazy for my grandma to be without a dad for that long. Stories like that put into perspective what I have today. I can remember those things when I feel like I am losing my identity. I can always remember I have my family and people that have gone before me. The stories of my grandparents and parents give me a sense of pride and love. They went through hard things, and I can go through whatever I need to as well.
QUESTION: In your life so far, what stories or experiences do you hope to pass onto your posterity?
My parents raised me to have really good work ethic. If there was something I wanted as a kid, my dad taught me to get the lawn mower out, go to the neighbors, and ask if I could mow their lawn for five dollars a week. Also, my dad always told me stories about how his friends in middle school and high school started getting into some things that he didn't agree with. As he was raising me, one of the main lessons he told me was, ‘choose your friends wisely’. That’s a story that impacted my life because, much like him, my friends were getting into things that I didn’t believe in. From his experience and example, I was able to find a new group of friends. I chose to associate myself with people who were doing uplifting things and not getting into trouble.
QUESTION: One hundred years from now what quality or characteristic about you specifically do you hope your posterity will be talking about?
The hope is that a great great grandchild of mine could look back and hear stories of me being kind or creative and working alongside people to make the world a better place. If someone could hear that about me, I think that would mean that I lead a good life. I hope in one hundred years people can look back and see that I lived with meaning and intent, and that I really loved everyone around me.
"I hope in one hundred years people can look back and see that I lived with meaning and intent, and that I really loved everyone around me."
