Day 39 (Nov. 17) - Perspective, Part II

What's my perspective?  It's shaped by my history.

I'm the grandson of a Danish immigrant, who on his 20th birthday arrived at Ellis Island in New York on April 2, 1905, aboard the S.S. Celtic.  I've seen a picture of the ship's manifest.  It's amazing to see that piece of history.  As a young teen, he worked aboard a steam ship for a number of years before coming to America.  He went with acquaintances to Wisconsin to work on a dairy farm, then moved farther west working on grain farms before finally homesteading on his own in 1907 in Dawson County, Montana.  He married my grandmother, who was 31 years his younger, nearly 36 years later.  Her father was the one of the first pastors of the Amish church near the family's homestead, the beginnings of the church attended by both of my families.

My maternal grandparents, who to my knowledge are of mostly German descent, were also from a long line of farmers.  My mother's father, born in Fergus Falls, MN, the third oldest of 13, left school after the eight grade to begin working.  He worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps before also planting roots in Eastern Montana, where he began to farm, married and started a family.

My adopted grandparents both served our country during the Second World War.  My grandfather was one of the thousands that stormed Normandy on D-Day.  My grandmother because a nurse to support the war effort and was an RN for over forty years.  My grandfather, after his service, would go to work for the highway department, from which he retired in the late 70's.


I'm the oldest of 17 grandchildren on my mother's side, and eighth of 18 on my father's side (and fourth of 16 on the adopted side).  I'm the half brother to four younger siblings.  I'm among the minority of lefties in the world (and the families). 

My familial history, while incredibly important, does not explain everything.  I never met my paternal grandfather, who passed away at 87, 18 months before I was born.  My parents' separation before I was born led to my adoption into a new family.  But, I have read his writings, and I've seen his nature in his children. That's the other key to perspective.

It's the experiences I had that created the other important filter in my perspective.  My maternal grandmother and grandfather allowed me to be at their side often during my early years, be it at the kitchen table, in church on Sunday, in the Butler "quonset," or in the field (via tractor, combine, truck or denim jacket).  My paternal grandmother fostered a relationship between my father and me, and had me over many times, even after we moved away.  My aunts and uncles on all three sides provided me with so many wonderful memories and experiences.  I was "blessed" to have a third family who cared for me.

With this perspective, I've built a worldview.  I've developed a faith.  I've acquired a desire to be a life-long learner (I suggest the last two, faith and life-long learning, are the keys to developing a proper perspective).  And, I've continued experiencing the world.  I'm the first in my family to have married a non-Caucasian. I became the first to have graduated with a bachelor's degree on my maternal side.  I'm the only pastor's husband in any of my three families.

In the midst of my history and experience, I met a woman with whom I've fallen in love.  A woman whose own life's journey has provided her with a unique perspective.  While we had tangential similarities in childhood, we also had vastly different circumstances that shaped our perspectives.

My wife and I have been together 24 years, married for 23 (we married young).  We've had four amazing children, who are each so wonderfully unique.  We've been on many adventures.  We've had triumphs, and we've had failures.  We've had struggles as do all couples, as happens when two distinctly unique individuals decide to covenant and do life together.  But, in it all, we've had the gracious hand of God with us our entire lives, guiding and directing.

The multi-faceted aspect of each of our lives provides a unique set of lenses through which every person sees life.  I  understand that is a fact that is true of ever human that I meet, and with whom I get to interact.  I want them to know that I value their perspective.  I trust that I will act accordingly in showing them that desire.