I will soon meet someone for the first time. As I think about what I want to say, I am reminded of a restaurant bill I received on a quiet Sunday evening in Romania. At the time my eyes could only see the white script. Puzzled, I looked deeper as I unclipped the top page for discovery. All was quickly revealed in the next moment. Today I wonder, what will be revealed with the unclipped sheets if I were to provide the details supporting the title?
In a random and incomplete way, I know the following would be inside.
My heritage is full of people who lived life to the maximum. Gun Powder Mary comes to mind. Learning to shift gears sitting on the floor of a ’63 Corvette convertible with the sound of squealing tires marking each successful action is a marker. Living life with abandonment could apply to many different generations.
Intensity is a common trait shared by many. It is more than just living hard. There is an intensity of intentional action, engagement, and the will to achieve results that one recognises across the generations. While it often worked for good, there was also the legacy of battles waged, hills climbed, and mission-impossible goals being reached that nobody thought possible.
Life is more than singular, it is plural. The definition of my life, where I come from, and the direction of my steps are found in community and relationships. I am not the first to establish this model. I see it in uncles and aunts, grandparents, and shirt-tail relatives. It is found in the stories that go back generations.
An old writer recognised his heritage with an off-handed remark “to say nothing of being the race that produced the Messiah, the Christ, who is God over everything, always. Oh, yes!” (Romans 9.5). In his case and mine, the question to start every day is the same; will I use or squander the heritage I have? Whatever I might think, my answer to myself and others is revealed under the cover through today’s actions.
