Eishah Smith

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” Deuteronomy‬ ‭7‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Each of us has inherited strengths and weaknesses from our parents, grandparents, and ancestors. We’re born predisposed to physical and mental illness, with tendencies toward vices and imbalances in one area or another. It’s easy to see generational trauma pass down among families.

But I found a treasure, almost hidden in the bad news. The mercies of God built into our system extend far beyond the consequences of our choices. If we spend time looking, we’ll find more and more wellness and strength in our family genes and stories that we can use to counter the negatives and move into lives of blessings.

Not sure what I mean? Try this. Choose a parent or grandparent, living or not, and think of 1-3 thoughts about them that make you proud. Write them a letter, expressing your gratitude and pride, and how you plan to honor their dreams and intentions for you by some necessary change(s) in your life.

After your thoughts are out on paper, you can decide how you want to share it with them. Maybe put the letter in the mail. Or write it as a greeting card, a plaque, or framed word art. Or convert it to a gift presented at a gala dinner in their honor!

Then take that idea and run with it! Make it your motivation, your explanation, your reputation. I’m so proud that my parents did “this thing”, and now I’m doing this “new/next thing” to keep my family momentum going.

For example, we’re used to thinking, “Diabetes runs in my family, so I gotta stop eating sweets and start eating healthy.” That sounds long, stressful, depressing, and dishonoring, which will make it difficult to start the change or endure for the time it will require. It also can alienate you from important relationships you need right now.

Try this instead, “My parents taught me to love good cooking and hospitality, so I’m going to continue that by also learning to love good healthy cooking and sharing it with my family so we can keep enjoying each other for a long time to come.” Notice how this approach is different? This is how you honor your family history and traditions, enjoy taking good care of yourself now, and still leave good examples and progress for the next generation to run with.

Wouldn’t this approach be more honoring, more enjoyable, and more sustainable? Wouldn’t you get more support and participation from family and friends? Start meditating on your personal and family history, treasure hunting for the wellness hidden inside. Create more wellness where there may be a need. Cultivate it, harvest it, and share it with those you love. Hmmm… it tastes so good!