Family

Family is very important to me. My grandchildren are four great joys of my life, and I love celebrating their uniqueness and their talents. Today I want to showcase Lucy’s talent for creative writing and her great insight into some of the things that have shaped her uniqueness.

The great gifts we can give our children and grandchildren are the feelings of self-worth and insight into peaceful, happy, clear-sighted living. A child’s attempts at new skills are important adventures to be celebrated, supported, and enjoyed. Their work does not have to be perfect to be fantastic, and it is so important to point out their individuality and the great value of their efforts and the beauty and value of their projects. I happen to believe that Lucy’s poem is so good that it needed to be shared beyond the classroom and its honored place on her mom’s refrigerator.

Parenting is not an exact science. All parents and grandparents make mistakes that cannot be reversed. But, if we have the strength to admit our mistakes and attempt to correct our errors our children gain life-skills that are important to their success later in life. We model for them our own lack of perfection, self-acceptance, and the power of honesty and self-forgiveness. And, most importantly we model the value of love, family, and positive relationship.

I now introduce you to the world of Lucy; a brilliant, talented young writer, student, and athlete. PS Scentuals was Lucy’s mom’s aromatherapy business in Flagstaff, Arizona. The photos are of Lucy and her mother Steph and Lucy on her 15^th birthday. The poem was written when she was in 8^th grade.

Where I Come From
by Lucy Nestor-Dowling (2016)

I am from lemons,
From cacti and tall mountains.
I am from dobies with brick floor,
from pebbles not grass.
I am from the three wheel bicycle,
Diamondback baseball games.
I am from Carne Asada and ravioli,
From Max and Ruby and Caliou.
I am from “I’m telling mom on you”
and criss cross applesauce.
I am from frisball and dance recitals,
And basketball games every weekend.
I am from Steph and Bill’s branch,
from Scentuals and pie sales.
I am from cucumber stands,
and lemonade stands.
I am from crab legs and oysters,
from kayaking and boogey boards.
Under my bed is a shoe box,
With childhood memories.
With Lessons learned,
yet more to come.
I am from those moments,
a flower,
still learning to bloom.