I have been pondering why and how I emerged into this life with a strong work ethic. I can contribute much of it to my mother and especially, to my grandmother. I lived with my grandmother (and step-grandfather) in the small town of Creede, Colorado and later in a much smaller town, La Garita. When I was older, I would visit them at the home they had retired to in Poncha Springs, which was only a couple of miles from Salida, Colorado. Most of my early childhood memories (and sadly, my only happy ones) are of those that came from being with my Grandma.
While living in La Garita, where my grandfather ran a sawmill, my Grandma worked endlessly. There was no electricity or running water. I would watch her bake bread and make giant pancakes on the wood stove. I watched her do laundry outside in 2 washtubs – one for scrubbing clothes on the scrub board and the other for rinsing them. There was another galvanized tub that was oval and we used that one for bathing. I accompanied her as she carried 2 five gallon buckets with pristine water from the underground spring, picking dandelions for her along the way and from which she later made dandelion wine. She also chopped wood, pasted wallpaper on the walls of their small cabin, and planted flowers in front, surrounded by a small white picket fence.
While raising my daughters in a suburb of Denver, I kept old photos of relatives that had passed on, on top of the piano. There was a picture of my grandmother with her sister when they were only girls. Another picture was of my great-grandmother and still another, of my great-great grandmother sitting in a rocking chair next to a picture of her husband, who had passed away. I knew nothing about them, not even their names. All I knew was that they were Quakers. I had never given it much thought, and I (wrongly) assumed that Quakers were very much like the Amish. I decided to look into it.
It turns out that Quakers are NOT steeped in Christian dogma, as are the Amish. I was shocked to discover how very much Quaker beliefs are aligned with my own beliefs.They do not believe that a priest is required to lead religious ceremonies, but that every individual is capable of making his or her own connection with God. They live by a conviction to integrity, equality, simplicity, and pacifism. They practice being stewards of the earth. It really is a way of life, rather than an adherence to a strict set of beliefs. Like me, most Quakers reject the Christian belief of heaven and hell. The good deeds that one does serves all of humanity and are not simply a ploy to reach a fictitious afterlife. They believe that all days are holy and do not participate in religious celebrations.
My oldest daughter had purchased a DNA test for me awhile back and much to my delight, I discovered that I am nearly 98% British descent. Quakerism began in England in the 1600’s. I will never know how much of my work ethic has been passed down through my DNA, but I suspect that the influence was reinforced from the time spent with my grandmother. She passed away only days after my youngest daughter was born. I know nothing of her religious beliefs. I often wish that I had asked her more about her life while she was still living. Maybe that is why I write so much. One day when I am gone, if my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren begin to wonder about their past, I hope that the words I leave behind will warm their hearts.
