Saturday, January 30, 2010

Ella's Dance: A Grandma note

Note 120
My dearest Ella,
Be careful of the marks you leave behind.
I’ve sat in the same pew at church for as long as I can remember. There are scratch marks on the back made by my father’s suspenders. He sat in this spot until he died and the marks are a lasting reminder.
When I think about the scratch marks, I think of the marks we leave in life – some good, some bad. It reminds me to live life thoughtfully because we never know when we might leave a mark that might be harmful. We are powerful in that way, Ella, whether we realize it or not. Understand and don’t abuse that power.
How many times have we left marks that have hurt people? I once had a teacher who said something to me that I will never forget. Decades have passed and the words still sting. That’s the power of the marks we leave behind. Like the pew, the scratch is always there. We might be able to sand it and apply new stain, but it remains underneath. It’s what we do with the marks in our life that count. Use them to make us better and stronger and wiser.
Love you bunches and bunches, Grandma

2 comments:

  1. Really nice, Buffy! I love how Grandma is leaving lessons for Ella and how these lessons are for all of us. :) Well done!

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  2. Thanks Sharon. You know I was thinking that Grandma's letters could be a book itself! I think Ella will write a letter to Grandma at the very end.

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