Great Aunt Afton...an Insight to more of Who I am

Saturday was my great Aunt's funeral.  She was 106 years old.  Born in 1904, she saw the Wright borthers' first flight, the sinking of the Titanic, was a teenager in WWI, a voting judge for 50 years, a hard worker, an incredible seamstress, and she had a quick whit, poetic journal entries, a love for story telling, making friends, making a point to always "do" something, take time for others, gather every kind of "Ben Franklin saying" and use it all the time, be positive and relax, love and live life to the fullest, and keep your faith till the day you pass.

As I was sitting there listening to the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren recount their memories about Afton, I was taught something important: I gained a sense that maybe my family roots are a little broader then I first understood.  I knew that I gained by tenacity from my Grandmother--Grammy Annis.  She had the "never give up; pull yourself up by the boot-straps; scream at the birds; put your emotions into your hard work and then you won't go crazy" type of attitude.  She also had hands that were well worn from hard work, knotted and swollen from arthritis, and could still grow anything, make a pie in less then 5 mins, and had some stories to tell about the farm.  I thought that that was the most of it...what I had gathered from the Brown side. 

But as I was listening I discovered that some of the other traits that I have come from Afton as well.  I was able to gather a balance of myself, and why I feel the way I do, have to optimistic view on life, and why I love story telling/writing/reflection.  It was helpful to understand.  It was like another puzzle piece was put into place in my portrait of life.  I am grateful for that insight because I can now draw on more of who I am more and more.  These are the moments that fill your soul and give you an insight that is life changing.  The discovery of who I am is not complete...that is the fun of learning new things all the time.  My prayer is that I remain flexible in my learning and allow life (the trials, the joys, the magical discoveries that are sometimes hidden under a rock) to shape me into the person that my Heavenly Father knows that I can become.  Just wanted to share.