Here are the riches at Tahoe last year, with increase continuing since. Click for larger view.
Here are the riches at Tahoe last year, with increase continuing since. Click for larger view.We’ve been in England. It could be our last trip there; one never knows. We’ve been many times, but the last several have been to visit daughter Allison and her family. In the fall, they’ll move to California.
Whether we went for the sake of place or to be with family is a question. In truth, it was a little of both, but the family part added the richness.
We took a road trip to Scotland. The weather cooperated mostly. We had rain, but with two-year-old Justine in the car, we carried sunshine with us.
She’s one of 14 such grandchildren we have spread around a wide geography. Next month Anne will go to welcome another, in Chicago.
It’s all a growing return on earlier investment. Now to see them, we scrape our pennies together to go and visit our wealth. Or they travel to us.
Last year we gathered together in a nine-bedroom house built into the side of a hill at Lake Tahoe. That’s how we have to do it these days, what with our overflowing abundance.
The deeper appreciation of family is something I’ve noticed in my dad in these later years. In September he’ll be 96, with my mother right behind. He’s always been an active man, interested in many things, happy, but not particularly sentimental. Now it’s family that provides his main meaning. My father has never had wealth, but there’s always been an even contentment about him, and still is.
It’s the opposite to the tragic description here:
There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.*
Flying back over the Atlantic I took in an old classic, The Godfather III. I couldn’t help but note the summary by the rich and aging Michael Corleone, “The only wealth in this world is children.”
I realize those without children can still find plenty of meaning. But for me the longer I live, the richer I’m becoming; and the day that I die will be my richest of all.
There’s a great contentment there.
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*Ecclesiastes 4:8
Next: We’ll Never Fill Up. Coming Thursday.
Our Lives Together
Its About Life
8:04 am
Ahh, great wisdom and insight there, Hyatt. Thanks. I’m sure you have heard the old saying that grandparents and grand children are natural allies!
8:50 am
So true! I paused for a moment of pure joy yesterday as I gazed with awe at the five youngest of our eight grandchildren, gathered around the table, laughing and talking with each other. Now that is wealth! “Like olive branches around the table of the Lord.” Thanks again Hyatt.
9:23 am
Sweetest, loving gifts of richness for sure. Love your words, borrowed them to send to my children/grandchildren.
Much love you you and Anne.
10:41 am
I so enjoyed seeing your family picture. I remember so well the beautiful family of 7, my how you have multiplied! God is so good. And how wonderful to have the priorities right. Warm greetings to Anne.
11:47 am
I just loved the line “We scrape our pennies together to go and visit our wealth,” very poetic and insightful. I could not agree more that our children are our wealth.
Signed, Mother of five and a few others who refer to me as “Ma or Mom,” in search of a revolving door.
11:48 am
Btw, Your family is beautiful!
2:57 pm
What a beautiful and enriching text, once again! Thank you, thank you!
It fills my heart with joy and beauty to hear about your family. It’s always a gift to read your texts.
All my best to you and yours!
11:04 pm
I loved the part that you shared about there was a man all alone, who had neither son nor brother, and would toil endlessly, but his eyes were not content with his wealth. It occured to me as I am here visiting my old home of 25 years in San Diego, a visit chocked full of time with all my dear friends and so many of them my sisters and brothers in the Lord! Meaning if you never had a son or a brother, you would and could still be totally content to be a sister or a brother in the Lord in the big community of Christ! Love love to all!