One of the quotes from the movie has stuck with me and actually tied into a post I was wanting to write. In a conversation between Poppa dinosaur and Arlo (the young dinosaur and main character), Poppa was trying to encourage his son in finding a way to leave his mark on the world. The dinosaurs were farmers (stick with me...I know this sounds strange) and each member of the family of five was working to "leave their mark" by doing something big for something bigger than themselves. Arlo was feeling inadequate because he wasn't gifted in the same ways as his parents and siblings. Poppa told him "you are me, and more". I love this beautiful and simple statement.
This quote ties in perfectly with my thoughts on how quickly things change between generations in a family. For instance, in terms of just education, there have been many changes since my grandparents' generations. My maternal grandma was only able to finish school through eighth grade due to her family's circumstances. My mom, her daughter, was able to attend technical school. My sister and I were both able to finish college. Big changes in just seventy years. Another thing I think about is overall opportunity. My paternal grandparents were married young, had three kids pretty quickly, and lived with my grandma's uncle so they could all support each other farming. I've heard that my grandma always wanted to be a teacher. But, opportunities for a young wife and mother in rural Minnesota to become a teacher were scarce if not nonexistent in the late 1940s. In rural Minnesota, most post high school plans involved continuing to farm or enlisting in the military. Farming was what they knew, it was a necessary livelihood for their family and the community, and there weren't many other opportunities.
This quote also makes me think of personality traits. I can see many traits in myself that I learned or inherited from my parents and grandparents, but I also see where I have new-to-our-family traits that don't seem to link to my family. Then of course there are physical attributes. I love looking at Luke and seeing how he is Brent's mini-me in so many ways, but that he is also his own unique person.
My wish for my own children is that they will take what we teach/leave/give them and do/be more. I don't mean this as a pressure to our children to achieve, rather I look at their future with hopeful anticipation. It's fun to think of who they will be and become and how they will be a part of continuing life, family, opportunity, education, and the list goes on!
And, just for fun, some pics to go with all of the family talk.
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| My mom's parents and brothers |
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| My maternal grandparents with their granddaughters |
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| My paternal grandparents with their first baby, Ruth They look like babies themselves! |
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| Just a few years later with their first three kids They had three more children later |
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