Leave Something Of Yourself Behind

I did not write this but I could have. I have given some thought to this subject, perhaps because of age. Yes, it is only a number however it is a number you cannot even fathom when you are 30 but whacks you in the face every time you turn around when you are 75. I say that with a smile. I feel fine and I do believe I have left plenty of myself behind. For how long? Well, who could possibly know?
Barb Brooker

 Leave Something Of Yourself Behind
http://www.thundercloud.net/infoave/new/leave-something-of-yourself-behind/

This may seem morose to you, but I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how the world will be when I’m not here anymore. The world will go on and take no notice of my demise. So, that got me thinking: What will I leave behind when I leave this world?  It’s important to me to know that I will leave behind something or a lot of something that would not have been if I had never walked upon this lovely blue planet, Earth.

I see so many people saving money, accumulating wealth, saving for retirement or to leave money to their children and grandchildren. But I can’t believe that’s all our lives are meant to be. Is that all we really want to leave behind? Money? Property?

Money was here before we were born, and it will certainly be around, in some form, for a long time after all of us are gone. So, leaving wealth behind is not leaving something of ourselves behind. We didn’t really make it – it just changed hands. I want to leave something behind that wasn’t here on the day I was born; something that wouldn’t have been here if I had not been born.

I certainly have not lived a perfect life; I’m pretty sure some will be glad to see me gone – and many others won’t care. That is how it is with many of us, I’m afraid. But one thing I know for sure: I’m leaving behind a lot of things that were not here before I was born.

Anyone who, like me, has children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren…should endeavor to leave behind something that would have never been here had we not been born. So if you have children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, you are leaving something of yourself behind.

I have children and grandchildren and I love them all very much. I will leave them behind when I die; they are all part of me. So in that way, I’ve changed the world because I was here.

Billions of people change the world by having children, but may far fewer change the world by leaving a part of themselves behind.

I’ve written over 100 songs, dozens of poems, hundreds of essays and short stories. I’ve saved a lot of them and they’ll survive me. Someday, after I’ve passed away, my kids will read some of the things I’ve written and in so doing they will have a look inside my head. And reading what I’ve written or listening to the songs I wrote will remind them of me and of the good things about me, or the silly things about me. Maybe they will see some of the things I’ve written as my successes and others as failures. What I hope most of all is that what I’ve left behind reminds them that the world is a little different place because I was here. And also maybe encourage them to leave something of themselves behind also.

To me, it’s important all of us try to change the world, even if only a little bit. If we do not, I’m afraid it will be as if we were never born. Even if we leave children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren behind, we still need to leave another piece of ourselves behind so that those who survive us can know us better.

It doesn’t really take much to leave something of yourself behind. You don’t need to be a great writer or painter, you don’t need to be handy with your hands, you don’t even need to be creative.

You can write a letter and keep it hidden so someday someone will find it and know you better. Just write down your thoughts on a piece of paper and then keep it safe and do your best to make sure no one sees it until you want them to see it. See? You don’t have to be an artist or a writer or a poet or a craftsman to leave something of yourself behind. Remember anything and everything you leave behind changes the world, even if only just a tiny bit.

If you’re good with your hands, make a quilt, or make some pottery or build something. Anything you leave behind is part of you because it would have never existed unless you made it, and it would have never existed had you never lived.

Most of us do not think our existence will change the world at all. Most of us who are not rich and powerful do not expect that the world will even know that we existed. Sometimes it seems we do not have the power to change the world at all – but we all do.

If you leave just one thing behind that you made yourself, then you’ve changed the world. Maybe only a little bit, but you’ve changed it by adding something to this world. And that makes a difference.

You can do a lot of other things to leave your mark on the world. Just think of all the things you could do to make the world a little different, even a little better.  Even leaving a letter behind lets others share your thoughts. And it will bring back memories to those who love you.

You can start a tradition of giving, or you can paint, write a book, an essay, a short story, or a poem. You can write a song, or make pottery or build something.  Or, you can just take time out to write a special letter about yourself and how you feel about things. Write something from your heart that will live on. Write about things you accomplished, things you did, places you visited, your favorite memories. Share the dreams, both the ones that came true and the ones that didn’t. Write down how you feel about anything, what you think about when you look back on your life.

Leave something behind, and we all change the world if only a little bit.  What a shame it would be to leave the world without leaving something of ourselves behind.

Think about that… today is a good day to leave something of yourself behind, isn’t it?

On the Move

Butch and I got serious about getting moved into the moho this week. We had to wait for some decent weather what with rain and temps dipping into the 30's but things looked up enough to get the job done. So as I write we are settled into the moho with periodic ventures into the house for forgotten items or to take back items we do not need to take with us. I have really pared down this year and feel like we are traveling lighter than ever. I must give the old guy credit as he has also pared down a bit too. Costco no longer sells his favorite beer so he has decided to travel light and buy what he wants in Texas. By the time we are too old to do this anymore, we may get it all figured out.
This coming week will be about saying goodbye to friends and family for the winter. And in fact, it would be nice if some of them decided to come our way for the Grand tour of sunny (we hope) South Texas.
It will be a very different season for us as we will be in a different park this year after 18 years in Magnolia. The park we are headed for (Trophy Gardens)  is only 7 miles from the old one. Butch is looking forward to playing golf whenever the mood strikes as he will have free access to a par 3 course connected to the park as one of the amenities for staying there. I told him I would give it a try after not playing at all for several years. I am taking 3 clubs which might tell you how seriously I plan to take it. The park we are going to has a trivia night and I will take part in it if for no other reason than to see how they have theirs set up and if all goes well I will put trivia in my schedule regularly. We are looking forward to the change, however, we do plan to stay in touch and visit with the many friends we have in Magnolia.
Our Grandaughter Amanda, her husband Brad and the two Teeter tots are moving this weekend too. They have purchased an acreage in Harrisonville Mo. So we will be anxious to see it. And we are excited and happy for them.

Butch's "hitch itch" is getting stronger by the day. This happens both Spring and Fall and I haven't noticed it abating in any way. So we have one more very busy week ahead of us before the big wheels start turning.

Happiness is a matter of attitude

This was in our RV newsletter this morning and aligns with our way of thinking. We have thought about downsizing at some point, however, it can be costly to change even if it is up, down, or sideways. So, for now, there will not be a change for us in the RV end of things or in the tiny house end either.
Happiness is a matter of attitude
And if you think about it, you have complete control over your attitude (or at least you should have). Many people love small RVs. I know a lot more people who have sold their big RV and bought a smaller one, and I also know people who have sold their small RV and gone with a larger one. Keeping up with the Joneses is basically non-existent in the RV world. More than likely most of your life you were always wanting a bigger house, a nicer car, and more of the latest “stuff.” The advertising media have done a good job of making us unhappy with what we have, and of convincing us to always want more. Most RVers (at least the ones who are the happiest) have learned that in many cases having less makes them happier than having more. —From “RVing: Less Hassle—More Joy: Secrets of Having More Fun with Your RV—Even on a Limited Budget.”

Ants in his pants

The weather is icky-cold, dreary and rain, lots of rain. And Butch is having a hard time keeping his head together. We are wanting to move into the MoHo and plan to do so today. It will be the first day for a while that might be rain free. As in the past, we like to move in ahead of when we plan to leave so we can cut down on things we may have forgotten. So it is time to move on out.
One advantage to this year is that we are both healthy and feeling good so the moving part should not be a hardship on either of us. Oddly, I am feeling energetic and organized much more than in years passed. Hope it lasts! Last year at this time I was recovering from surgery so this year lies in sharp contrast. It has taken nearly a year for me to say that I feel complete and back to normal. Thank God they do not tell you that before going into those long procedures.
In 15 minutes I will be meeting Virginia for one of our last walks on the trail in the early morning. It is still dark out. And 49 degrees. There are many signs telling us to head south.

WHITE QUESO

We can always use another queso recipe? Yes?



5-INGREDIENT WHITE QUESO (NO VELVEETA!)
1 lb pepper jack cheese
8 oz full-fat cream cheese
8 oz full-fat sour cream
¾ cup whole milk
1 can Rotel tomatoes & green chilies, drained
*NOTE: mixed feedback about using low-fat substitutions so use full-fat dairy for best results!*

An Adventure with Karla

Our boy Devon had a busy weekend as he is racking up his first memories of high school. Friday was Homecoming parade and dance. Butch and I went to Ogden for lunch and the parade.
This is a very busy picture of people waiting for the parade.

Lunch at the Lucky Pig, a well known and perhaps the only eating place in Ogden.

 Devon looks tired and his Mom said he was tired.

Homecoming dance

Then on Saturday, we went to Urbandale for a band contest...in the rain. This is where the adventure part came in. We thought we had a bit of extra time so we stopped at McDonald's in Grimes for a treat before heading to the football field. We did not count on having to wait for a light to change that took at least 10 minutes! Maybe a bit of an exaggeration but not by much! Butch let us out and we ran to get there on time while he parked the car. We made it! Afterward, we could not believe where he parked by necessity! 5 blocks away!

Here are the best of the band contest pics.

Random thoughts

I was watching a show on PBS Create, my favorite station, and they were teaching low-income children how to cook among other things. After preparing a meal, they would sit at a table that they had set, with a mixed group of people eating this meal they had prepared. One girl who was perhaps 10 was talking about preparing the meal and she said "whoopin' cream". It stuck with me. She did an excellent job of whoopin' the cream. I imagine she had been "whooped" a time or two herself.
The many lessons that are learned in the kitchen, at the table will stay with you throughout your life. I know they have for me.

Went up to HyVee this morning for our Flu shot. Now we have 40 cents off our next fill up of gas. We followed this up with a trip to the courthouse to vote. In Iowa, they have shortened the number of days you can vote early so we cannot vote in the Mid-terms until October 8th. We will be there bright and early with bells on October 8th!

Worth Pondering

“A desire to be in charge of our own lives, a need for control, is born in each of us. It is essential to our mental health, and our success, that we take control.” —Robert Foster Bennett

And this is indeed stronger in some people.--Barb