We all get bogged down with the pressures of this consumer-driven world. Today, it’s practically inevitable. For me, the best way to refresh my heart is by paying a visit to my grandparents in rural Missouri. This past weekend, I got to do just that.
My grandma, 80, and my grandpa, 85, just celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary.
If anyone knows wisdom from experience (love, life, family, faith, etc.), it’s them. My favorite stories derive from their childhood, and all conclude with generally the same lesson—with hard work, you can make a little go a long way. Though this sentiment resonates strongly with both, there are lessons that I’ve learned from my grandma that are dear to me.
My grandma was one of ten children, five boys, and five girls. Her father worked on the railroad in Sharon Springs, Kansas, where they grew up. No electricity. No running water. They got places solely on foot; her parents had never owned a car. My grandma shared clothes with her sisters and wore mismatched socks regularly. “Poor, poor, poor,” is how my grandma describes the living conditions then, “but Sara-Belle, we never went to bed hungry.” Often, their dinners were beans, potatoes, and tortillas. Her father grew the beans and potatoes while her mother made tortillas from scratch. Talk about simple living. They had no choice but to live within their means; credit cards were non-existent.
It’s undeniable that they made some pretty incredible sacrifices and prayed for provision more times than imaginable.
Although I never got the chance to meet them, I think they would be proud to know that their great-granddaughter finds their efforts and abilities fascinating.
In times when I feel that I am lacking, I’m so grateful that I can reflect on the stories shared by my grandma, swinging on her porch swing or sipping coffee in her living room. Her upbringing shaped her into the woman she is today: wife, mother, grandmother, former nurse, business owner, church leader, and more. She passes her lessons down to me, shaping my womanhood, and I can only hope they will continue for my daughter. The older I get, the more significant her stories become, because the greatest thing this world has to offer is the beauty hidden within simplicity.
May 2025