Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away. ~Unknown.
My mom would be 89 today (Marcy 24, 2024). And we’re just a few weeks away from what would have been my mom and dad’s 70th wedding anniversary.
Both are gone now, but the picture below best says it all. They were devoted, loyal, and faithful even in their waning years.
When I tell people about my parents, I simply show them the picture. “This will tell you their story,” I tell them. It needs no words. One of my boys took the photo about a decade ago as they walked hand-in-hand on the Boardwalk in Shreveport, Louisiana.
We all have great memories of traditions and the culture they instilled in us—the values, heritage, and character. Things have changed since we sat around that kitchen table for dinner at 240 Moss Hill Terrace Drive when we were growing up. Not many families do that anymore, but I always had a spot at that table. It was mine, and no one else sat there for dinner. Because, of course, Iwas expected to sit there for dinner! 
In that picture, you can see the old-school honor and integrity, not to mention the simplicity of a couple who was on their own island of sorts. Oh, they weren’t completely oblivious to the changing times or hectic pace of life. They were just determined that it wouldn’t change them.
Elizabeth and I have a museum of sorts scattered throughout our house here in Texas. (Okay, she’ll tell you I’m the more sentimental, and she’d be right.) Things that are not only special but things that define who our parents were — and who we are. My office is full of pictures and other memorabilia. Two of my dad’s hand-made tables — one he built in woodshop class in high school — are just outside my office. Two tables from Elizabeth’s grandmother’s home are also part of our furniture. Several meaningful pictures hang throughout the house.
We’re sentimental, but our most significant memories are in our hearts.
It’s those memories, the intangible shadowy ones, that I’ll be thinking about.
- Things they taught me in that living room.
- Examples they showed me at church.
- Lessons they gave me on the way to baseball games.
- The heritage they left me through their rich history.
- The culture they built in me when I didn’t always measure up.
- The character they insisted on creating.
Despite the years, I can still see my mom in front of her sewing machine, making costumes for Oklahoma or Christmas stockings. And I still have that image of my dad sitting in his comfortable chair at 5 a.m. with his coffee, newspaper, and Bible.
We live in different times today, to be sure, but those are memories you can’t take away. They are indelibly parked in my mind and heart.
What memories, heritage, and traditions do you remember from your parents, grandparents, or perhaps an uncle?
When I was a chaplain at The Broadmoor, a young man from South Africa came to me. His uncle had just been tragically and suddenly killed in a car accident, and he was half a world away. “He was like a father to me,” the young man said through sobs. As we worked through his grief in the coming hours and days, I encouraged him to write down his memories, the things his uncle had told him, and the good things he remembered. I also encouraged him to share his thoughts with other family members and friends. In other words, live the legacy and allow it to carry on to future generations.
That’s where I’ll leave you today. Take time to bring up those memories, traditions, and legacies only you can pass along. Write them down and be intentional about handing them down to your kids, your grandkids, and your friends.
Don’t allow your memories to die with you.
Think about it: In 100 years, few people will remember your mom and dad. You get to decide now how they will be remembered. You can share those memories, so pick up the mantle, carry the torch, and pass the baton.
Happy birthday, Mom! And happy 70th anniversary.
- You may not think you have a good memory, but you remember what’s important to you. ~Rick Warren.
- Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you. ~Sharon Adler.
- The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith. —Billy Graham.
- Your story is the greatest legacy you will leave to your friends, and it’s the longest-lasting legacy you will leave to your heirs. ~Steve Saint.