My Grandmother's Breakfast

My grandmother was a member of the greatest generation, a generation that lived through a time of change and advancement. She saw the dawn of technology with the arrival of the automobile, the airplane, and even the advent of space travel. She saw two World Wars, the depression, the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, Desert Storm, Afghanistan and Iraq. She was witness to the rise and fall of communism and was personally touched by the ravages of terrorism. Communication grew from the telephone to computer email, cell phones and instant messaging. Through all, she remained a constant.

She was a woman of enthusiasm and fortitude that kept her own house, caring for her own yard, and remaining active in church well into her eighties. When questioned regarding her good health and vigorous spirit she would reply that the key was eating a good breakfast. “You don’t eat enough,” she would say. Every morning without fail she would eat a boiled egg, a bowl of Wheaties, a banana, a glass of orange juice, and one cup of coffee. Empowered by this well balanced breakfast, she could mow the lawn, pull weeds, and cultivate her garden until 2 in the afternoon without the pang of hunger.

As I thought upon this memory of my grandmother, I began to see a life lesson emerge from the tables of my mind. In life, the key to happiness and longevity is balance. How often we live our lives off-balance, pushing ourselves beyond our limits:  skipping meals, lacking sleep, depriving ourselves of relaxation.  Often we rush into our day without a rearward glance at our relationship with God, not taking time to reflect upon the gift He has given to us as we take the next breath.  As our body needs nourishment and rest, so too, our soul needs to be fed. When I take the time to meditate on the word of God, I am refreshed and life resumes a more balanced perspective. I even find that I have more time and am more efficient in the tasks required of me after spending time with the Lord.

​So do not neglect you spirit. Take stock in your life and simplify so that you do not grow weary in well doing. (Galatians 6:9)

Susan Van Volkenburgh