Importance of Extended Family, Nov 22, 2019

The trouble with most of us
is that we'd rather be ruined by praise
than saved by criticism.
~Norman Vincent Peale

I have been writing this family blog for 12 years now. I have enjoyed doing research into our family history and then sharing that information with all of you. It has been a journey that has included some remarkable historical discoveries. It has also given me a larger sense of what it means to be family. In addition it has been an opportunity to connect with relatives that I might never have known. Writing this blog has been a positive, satisfying experience. Thanks to those of you who are regular readers and who have been supportive of this endeavor.

Speaking of Extended Family:
A family gathering in San Diego, Easter, 2014

An Anonymous Troll. I should not have been surprised to discover recently that not everyone views this blog the same way. Recently a reader of The Shepard's Crook has reacted quite negatively. For the last month or so an anonymous "troll" -- as such a person is called online -- has left numerous negative remarks at the bottom of The Shepard's Cook in the comments section. They have been angry, critical comments, quite different from the dozens of other comments that have been posted over the years. Fortunately Blogger is set up so all comments are moderated. They do not get automatically posted. I have mentioned before that I invite readers to post comments at the end of the blog posts. But in order for them to be made available for all to see, they must be respectful, not hateful. Unfortunately the recent anonymous comments have been inappropriate. It is a surprising development that, as much as anything else, is one more sign of the angry times in which we live.

One of the most important life lessons I ever learned was shared with me by a colleague many years ago when we lived in the Bay Area. I have never forgotten it. He said "You can always learn more about yourself from those who criticize you than from those who compliment you." That is simply another way of expressing the truth in the Norman Vincent Peale quote at the top of this post. It is a life lesson that has served me well over the years.

Want To Be Added to The Mailing List? This is a good time for me to mention again that when I send out notices of new posts I am careful with the emailing list that I use. I do not send out notices with everyone's email available for all to see. Instead I "blind copy" everyone so that your email address is protected. It is simply one more way of being respectful of personal information. If you want to be added to the list of people to whom I send notifications of new posts, or if you want to removed from that list, just sent me an email and let me know.

Speaking of Extended Family:
A Reunion in Oklahoma, July, 2009

The Importance of Extended Family. A recent study by Sarah Woods of the University of Texas Southwest Medical Center made an interesting discovery about the effect of family life on physical health. It has long been known that the health of one's marital relationship can have a great affect on one's physical well being. But this recent study discovered something quite surprising. It found that the emotional climate of one's extended family has an even bigger effect on overall health, including the development or worsening of chronic conditions such as stroke and headaches. Here's the take-away from that: As you prepare for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday next week, be grateful for your extended family. And don't underestimate the importance of their place in your well being. And your place in theirs.
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Steve Shepard