Five years from now, you’re the same person… except for the people you’ve met and the books you’ve read.

I’ve seen that quote attributed to more than one person… and I know it sounds just like something that I would say. Though I do not take credit…. I am definitely on board!

In August of 2010 our family was vacationing at Aspen Grove, a family camp in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Nathan was preparing for missionary service in the Philippines and my mother’s-heart was yearning to stop time and hold it in place. As that was not possible I tried something new… a time capsule to be opened every five years. Inside we placed a few treasures that represented our family at that moment. More importantly, we all filled out a questionnaire that would define who we were as an individual at that moment.

Fortunately we have continued this tradition, filling the box every five years… 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025. I have four sets of “questionnaires” capturing the thoughts, favorites, insights, goals, and so much more of each family member. Pages and pages capturing their individual progression through life. These are unique each time. Sometimes they address current family or political issues or whatever we might want to talk about.

If there is ever a fire… this is the box to save.

You might have a better tradition that I would love to hear. I would also love to hear that you’ve been inspired to begin a box for yourself or your family. (or just create a timeline.) As I reflected this past year, I saw that I could categorize each of the five years as an “era” of sorts. This is, of course, from my perspective and looking at the family as a whole. Each child would see their own.

1989-2010: Motherhood – I knew that I would be successful at any career that I chose… and I chose Motherhood. I put my heart and soul into my family and these are my golden years.

2010-2015: Childhood Cancer – Bone cancer, shoulder joint full of tumors, spinal tumor, brain tumor, another bone tumor, colon cancer… did I forget any? Mark probably had some cancer in there as well.

2015 – 2020: Moving – Although my moving/packing/moving during the past 2-3 years still makes me dizzy… the moves during this period of time were very significant. Leaving our dream home, friends and the beauty of the Pacific Northwest was very difficult for us. We were rewarded with wonderful friends and memories in Texas and then uprooted again to begin a new life in Utah. This move has had more than its share of rewards as well. Each move changed us for the better – I actually highly recommend a move or two or three during your lifetime. It may be one of the top ways to enrich your life.

2020 – 2025: Illness/Death – Of course there was Covid but we were not significantly affected. From 2021-2023+ my life changed from being full and very active to being very ill, dull and sedentary and it was my turn to look death in the face, undergo a few rounds of chemo and accept a slower pace of life. I was barely functioning again as roles reversed and Mark’s tumor appeared. Of course we all know how this turned out…. a year of fighting followed by a year (give or take) of grieving. What an unexpected shock it was in August 2025 when we opened our box and his handwriting was the first thing I saw. His goals/dreams all included me… that was tough but beautiful. During these years (starting in 2019) our also family began to grow with marriages and grandchildren. They are all loved and have all contributed to the new time capsule.

2025-2030: The Great Unknown – Herein lies the magic! At the beginning of each of these time periods we could not have predicted how our lives might have changed over the ensuing years. Some of these “eras” might look harrowing on paper, but I would heartily disagree! The people and the events (even death) …(and the books…) of these past many years have made us all into the people that we are today. I really like us. I love us. Would I change things (even death) if I could? No, I do not believe that I would. It might sound crazy… but I really do like who we have become.

If there’s any lesson I’ve learned in the last five years, it is don’t be so sure about what lies ahead. There are amazing doors that could open. _{Elizabeth Warren}