Reminiscent

Good Morning!

Remember how that 10 foot post smacked me in the face? This past week all things wooden were my bane. I walked my face into an H-brace, cracked a rake handle across my forehead like they do in cartoons, fixed a shattered fence post, smashed my foot under that same broken post, almost took down a 50 foot tall tree with my bare hands (and grandpa), tore my jeans to shreds (via barbed wire, which I was attaching to a post), and successfully developed heat exhaustion.

This isn't complaining, just stating my accomplishments.

Needless to say, it has been a very eventful week. My grandparents abandoned us after two weeks of suffering at our ranch . . . I'd say their feeling was warranted. I've loved having them around, especially because it's likely the last time I'll see them for at least another two years.

Earlier this week I found a certain playlist of my music that threw me back a few years. It's interesting to think retrospectively about your own life, and the songs were some of my favorites. It's always funny to wonder what could have happened, or to think how dumb you were, but that's the nature of life I suppose. There's always another step, so we never truly live in a moment forever.

Because my grandparents were in town, and we visited the ranch together every day, I had plenty of time to talk to them. My favorite thing to do as we worked was to ask questions about my grandparents life, and see what they lived through. It's easy for me to think they existed since I was born, and were always grandparents, but it's almost weird to see that they had their own lives.

As I talked with my grandpa in particular, I learned so much about his life, where he came from, and some of his sibling dynamics. I learned how he grew up, what his early years of marriage were like, his service in the Navy, everything I could. I'm grateful I had these past two weeks to visit with them.

To contrast, on my mom's side I don't have a grandpa anymore. He died before I was born, so I never had the chance to know him in this life. As his first name is my middle name I've always felt connected to him, but never had a chance to talk to him. My mom does have a brother who is very similar to my grandpa, at least according to her. I love talking to him because it feels, albeit indirectly, like talking with my Grandpa Whitmer.

I love my family, especially learning from them. It's a gift that won't always be around, so I enjoy taking advantage of it when I can. My advice is to learn from your family. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles. You have your family forever. Learn to love them, and see where they came from. Ask questions. You never know what you'll find.

- Talmage Williams

Pictures:

1. The 50ft tall tree.

2. Mr. Darcy and Lizzy.

3. The shattered post; set our day back over an hour!

4. Hungry buffalo!

5. Clark cameo!