I'm Still Growing

"You've got to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather is."

I've spent the week reflecting on the great qualities of women who have influenced my life, especially my 2 grandmothers and my mom. I've inherited my hazel eyes, my cuddly shape and my chubby fingers from them, but I think DNA can only do so much. My personal accomplishments are pretty much up to me. So, what am I going to do about it?

Something I admire about these 3 women is that they were continually learning about a variety of subjects. I remember my mom studying a Red Cross book, and using me to practice giving a bed bath, and changing sheets with a person in the bed. She also learned how to refinish furniture, arrange flowers and make drapes, among lots of other things.

Grandma Lundgren studied poetry, and different cultures, and for about 10 years taught a class on The Bible as literature. Grandma Bagley wrote a book about her native Idaho, and researched the history of quilt patterns. I'm barely scratching the surface here.

I've always had a little list of interests going. It has included Learn about Machiavelli, Learn to Tole Paint, Take Guitar, Study English History, Write a Children's Mystery Series, and Research British Castles and Ruins. It isn't really a list of goals to accomplish. It is a list I can go to when I want a new project, or something to study. I add to, cross off and sometimes chuckle at what I wrote. I think of my list as a Course Catalog that I can choose from and that will inspire me.

For the past year I've had a sheet on my bulletin board called Current Studies. Last May (2006) I listed:

1. Become familiar with new Mac Computer
2. Learn Computer Design: (Cousins Club Newsletters, Oma Books)
   
3. Organize photos in iPhoto
4. Organize music in iTunes
5. Color code and organize files in computer
6. Create Heritage Map as wall display
7. Learn to make mailing stickers
8. Write something for publication
   
9. Plan for Dee's 60th birthday in England
10. Have weekly Oma Days

Today I updated my list. I have some things that I've accomplished, some in the works, some that I've abandoned, and some that are still in the idea stage.

1. Layout and design 3 Oma books: The Ghost Buster, Giesele, Keepsakes
2. Bi-Monthly Cousin Club Newsletter
3. Heritage Map
4. Compile info on Sweden into a folder on computer
   
5. Create kids cookbook of Hero recipes
6. Read the books on my "To Read" Shelf
7. Read the books on my "England Research" Shelf
8. Write an article on Organization
9. Scan illustrations and photos and categorize
   
10. Keep blogging

I'm going to expand on some of these projects in my next few posts.

I don't want to just reflect on the heritage I've been given, I want to build on it. I want to do my own growing!