As Told By Molly

Welcome back to another installment of Good Word Wednesday.

On this day of the week, we stop to remember the joy sprinkled into our journey.

Leave a good word and take time to pick one up on your way out.

Here's mine.

Last night I had a hot date. With two gorgeous guys.

Olen and Porter took me out to see BUY's Living Legends in Seasons. If you haven't heard of this beautiful traveling performance before, let me enlighten you. It is a collection of dances from around the world; North America, Fiji, Mexico, Alaska, Samoa and more. All in authentic and elaborate costumes and music.

My parents took my brothers and sisters and I to amazing shows, like this, when we were growing up to open our minds to different cultures and educate us about what else is out there. It was special to me to be able to share this experience with my son. (We left Elle to play at Nana and Papa's because she is a wild cat when forced to sit still.)

On my mom's side I have Paiute and Navajo ancestors and this heritage is important to me. I couldn't help feeling a lump grow in my throat while watching the dancers preform, in full dress, the dance of the Eagle; which is sacred to the natives of Northern America, embodying strength, courage, and wisdom. Having so many Native Americans in the audience calling back to the dancers in their native tongue made the experience even more amazing. The air was electric.

We must have been in the Tongan/Samoan section of the auditorium because when the dances from Fiji and Tonga and Samoa were preformed the whole audience around us exploded in calls of energy, happiness and strength. It was just fantastic. Porter looked around at these people calling back with wonder, and asked if he could give a "yee-haw" (he's got a great yee-haw).

But, I told him that it wasn't our turn.

(I wonder what that says about us if my son felt inspired to holler yee-haw? Is that our call? Oh well.)

Visiting things like this makes it clear that we live in a world where learning about our ancestors is something that primarily happens in school, from books, or when forced to. This stuff needs to be taught in the home. I wish that we, as a society, put more emphasise on remembering where we came from, who fought for us, who won our freedoms, and what are we doing to deserve them and to be grateful for them?

Last night while taking part in this celebration of cultures, song and dance, I felt an awakening; that at least within my own small family I can teach my children about their heritage and we can remember and cherish those that came before us and what they stood for. Just by passing down a treasured recipe, a story, or a tradition. These are ways we can begin to remember again.

What is it that you will choose to pass down to your next generation?

More importantly, what will be passed down about you?

Now you're going to be thinking about this all day. As you take calls at your desk, sweep the floor, drive home from work, surf the web, cook dinner, bathe the kids and lay in bed trying to sleep. And it's good for you. So go ahead and think about it.

I left the first message. Now it's your turn.

Yes. I kiss on the first date. Check out the paws on my Sun-shine!