Woke Up This Mornin'

A New Family Tradition

As a member of a web design team, I’m fortunate enough to have a job that offers an unimaginable array of colorful varieties of both people and causes. One of the latest websites we have created has an especially unique call to action. Because of Tom McQueen’s Legacy Nation USA (www.legacynationusa.com), I’ve been inspired to start a new family tradition.

Tom McQueen is the author of Letters to Ethan: A Grandfather’s Legacy of Life and Love. You’d think this is where I’d plug the book (available November 1st), but the truth is that I haven’t read it. It should also be noted that although I plan to read it, the website reveals the heart of the author, the purpose of the book, and the inspiration to leave a legacy for your loved ones.

Letters to Ethan is the product of a father’s love and commitment to a tradition to first his son, then to his grandson. Tom shares how he began the tradition of writing letters to his son over the course of his life. He saved these letters for all of those years, and then presented them to his son on his wedding day. What a gift! Now, he is dedicated to writing similar letters to his grandson, Ethan. Tom writes about a father’s love and wisdom attained by learning from his own mistakes.

When I think about the determination and patience that is required in order to present a gift of this value, I really find it a challenge to commit to leaving this same type of legacy for the little ones in my life. I am not yet a mother, but I am a very proud auntie. I often think about how different the culture here in America will be by the time my niece and nephew are adults. Everything certainly does change quickly, but I also know that every generation always has the ability to leave a mark on society. Just as I have gleaned and will glean much knowledge, wisdom, moral values, traditions, and so much more from the generation that has walked before me, so will it be for the next generation from my own.

This poses a stark question: Am I living in such a way that will positively affect the future?

I have examined myself, and I feel like I can answer that question by saying, “yes”, but I still will always be looking to choose paths that lead me to better ways to make that ‘yes’ an emphatic one. Legacy Nation USA has motivated me to leave my mark in a new way, and hopefully in a way that will survive the storms of the ever-evolving culture that we live in. I don’t want the fickle culture to shape who my kids become--I want to give them a solid foundation for building their goals upon.

I’ve decided to start writing letters to both my eight-year-old niece and my two-year-old nephew, and when I have children of my own, I hope to continue this tradition. I think I will save them and give these gifts at their high school graduations. It may be that I don’t feel like I have the stamina to wait until they marry, but I also am remembering how quickly life changed after high school. I think that during that time, I would have loved to have had some written words of love and wisdom from the adults in my life. Some understanding only comes when it is birthed out of life-experiences. Not only would letters like these be insightful, but they could definitely strengthen relationships. When light falls on a dark path, fear has no ground to stand on. If we can bring another person some understanding in the midst of a hard situation, we can really empower them to rise above the odds and overcome. That’s the kind of legacy I want to leave for the next generation.

I challenge you to begin writing letters to the young people in your life. Give them something to hold in their hands--a written legacy of your life and your love for them. Inspire greatness for the future of those you love, and for the future of this great nation!