Lasting Legacy

photo by Alyse Farris Nelson


One moss covered section is all that remains of the long wooden fence that once stood as a proud boundary line. 

Our neighbor affectionately said we had a perfect country fence—it marked out our property, but it was also a nice place to lean while talking to each other.

Mom built the fence while I was in college. When we moved here, the fence had weathered over fifteen rainy seasons. 

Our five-year-old son loved climbing its cross pieces and viewing the world from its heights. 









The rainy seasons eventually won, and part of the fence fell over in a wind storm. 

The cedar panel replacement left no footholds for climbing—the season for a little boy climbing fences was over too. 

This week I walked over to the last section of old fence. It has stood for nearly forty years. 

Kind of a legacy to my mom’s efforts. But a fence isn’t her real legacy—sharing her love of reading was.



As a small child, Mom sat me on her lap and read to me. 

As I got older, she showed me that great books could take me on adventures I’d never imagine. 

Mom left behind shelves full of books, but her legacy was the time she spent reading them to those she loved—like her granddaughter.




photo Jon Tyson


The long, cold, dark, wet month of January gives me time to ponder old fences and the legacies of those who’ve gone on before me. 

Some of what we put our time into doesn’t last—like a fence that eventually falls down. 

Pastors often remind us that the best place to invest our time is in people—because people are the only things that last eternally. In a time of such divisiveness, be a contrarian and love despite the division.

Love makes a lasting legacy—and it’s a great way to be remembered.

"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1 John 4:11



Popular posts from this blog

Counting the Cost

Image
Something big is missing in this photo. Let me explain. Here in my hometown, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe prepared a parcel of land for a new hotel. Plenty of planning and architectural designs were evaluated. A gemstone of a hotel would be built across from the waterfront—a beautiful, restful place welcoming travelers. A true four-star facility.   They cleared the aging brick structures that had been fading away between Front Street and Railroad Avenue. Then the pandemic hit, shortages of labor and supplies, add in the costly inflation that followed. Everything stopped.   But this is what I admire about the Elwha Tribe: they have counted the cost. They didn’t want to move forward and take on tremendous debt. They would rather move slowly and be financially ready, rather than begin building and then letting it sit unfinished.   Counting the cost is something I should have done earlier in life when I didn’t know what high interest rates would do to our farming cost...
Read more

Summertime Music

Image
During the summer months, in an outside seating area, a delightfully painted piano sits with a sign that says, “Play me”.   It was just before 8 pm as I walked past the piano. My bus would be arriving soon, and I still have another ten minutes to walk before reaching my bus stop. But no one is around. It’s a beautiful warm evening. I pulled out the piano bench and sat down. The sun was behind me, and the piano keys reflected its glow. I had no music in front of me, only the songs within me. Notes drifted into the air.  In those brief moments, the magic of music and summer came together. Isn’t that how it is? Summertime music has a way of lingering in our minds and lasting a lifetime. As I stood and grabbed my things, I heard distant clapping—I guess I wasn’t alone, after all.
Read more

Planting Good Seeds

Image
Harvest will always depend on what we plant and how well we care for our crop.    Looking over my seed packets, I notice they’re different than the ones I planted before. One package is called Word seeds. The directions say that each of my words is a seed, so it cautions me to think before I speak. Harsh words don’t produce sweet, nourishing fruit. These seeds will require thoughtful care in the garden. I see some Volunteer seeds. Those extra hours I tend to fritter away are going to be planted in a useful project.   It looks like time isn’t wasted in this garden plot. Next are some Love seeds—the directions are interesting: get up each day and love others. No specifics are given—just do something for someone every day. The seed package shows pictures of smiling faces. I smile back. As I’m ready to head to the garden with my seeds, a package falls to the ground. I open it. Inside are the tiniest seeds I’ve ever seen—but the directions s...
Read more