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Thank you for all of your comments and input today. I really appreciate it. Whatever I do next, I will continue to do what I do here. I have an unbounded passion for my life, for this website, and for you as my readers. Many times people ask how I came to do what I am doing, and the ground core of it is passion. I came to what I am doing now, and where I am now, through a search for passion.
Recently, my son Weston wrote an essay for the National Merit Scholarship. In part, he wrote, “Life is too short to be spent doing nothing; at the least, it should be enjoyed with fire and fervor. I don’t want to live a life unfulfilled. I want to do something I love, and I want to do it well enough that when I’m gone, I’ve left some mark, some indication that I’ve passed.”
The rest of the essay, which was fabulous, is too personal to post and refers to other people, etc. He remarks that his ideal of passion comes from his mother. And he also has some criticism of me for it along with the praise, so don’t be swayed that I’m a perfect mother. He was a little bit leery of showing it to me, but I loved it, criticism and all. It was, for one thing, very well written, and I’m a sucker for good writing. Aside from that, it was powerful and real and true. He nailed me well in all my passionate imperfection.
He had to turn the essay in to the high school principal to send on to the National Merit Scholarship board. One night at one of Morgan’s volleyball games, the principal came up to me and said, “I read Weston’s essay. It was incredible.” And I felt as if I needed to apologize six ways to Sunday for being such a terrible mother because along with admiring my passion, Weston noted that I was somewhat obsessive.
This is true.
But I will forever be grateful that I have given him an appreciation for passion and for living life full throttle. That is no small thing–it is the thing that I try, every day, to pass on to my children and to you.
I’ll be okay with that epitaph.
Posted by Suzanne McMinn on October 16, 2010
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And bless your heart Weston – most ‘kids’ have to be well into their 20′s to begin see/admit anything great in their parents!
dede
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(and that’s awesome he’s such a great writer!)
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“WHEN” you write your book/books…..and WHEN you go on a book tour to meet your fans, PLEASE!!!! come to Iowa (or atleast within driving distance)!!!!!!!!!!
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Thank you for reminding me of this, ellen k.
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Linda
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Thanks to all of you for the nice comments. I love Suzanne as cousin and “sister of my heart” but your comments show me how she touches other lives. I am lucky that I get to share some of her “roller coaster ride” journey into farming and all the things she has done and will continue to do.
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Amen.
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