It seems I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting lately. I’m not sure why this is happening, but maybe it all began with a body of water.

We took a drive down the river and ended up at the widest part of the same river. It all started because it was such a beautiful day for a drive, and because it would be nice to see some new parts of the country side. This late into the growing season one expects to encounter field after field of corn with a few fields of soybeans along the route.

I reflected on my past days on our farm, and how we were in a big hurry to get ready for harvesting. By now, we would have baled our hay for the year, harvested our oats and flax and done some plowing. We watched the corn stalks slowly turn brown along with the browning of the soybean leaves. Our fall activities were about to begin.

And begin they did. The combine was very busy as was our corn picker. I did most of the hauling of the harvested grains back to the bins and took the soybeans into the nearby town’s elevator. There was always a bit of time to take the paperback book out of the back pocket and read my favorite western author or spy story.

Yes, I thought about what our land was like before our ancestors arrived, and how quiet it must have been to the Native Americans who occupied the area before we white Europeans arrived on the scene. I pondered about the meeting of those two cultures, and how their interactions were not the best that could have occurred.

As time went on for me, I didn’t think it important to hang onto past happenings. Those past moments happened, and we move on, right? Well, there is something to be said about the wisdom of growing older, and it is…

Always hang on to your reflections because what you will see in them is yourself.

Our history is in the old family picture scrapbooks we possess. Reflect on those pictures and note your reflection in the faces of those ancestors. Also, in looking back, you’ll see how you have changed over the years — a good change or??? You answer that one!

Now, back to that body of water. On our drive, we stopped, ate lunch and sat by the widest part of Old Man River. It’s not that I’ve never seen this scene before, but I was taken into the reflection of the sky in the moving water. The sky’s magnificent blue was reflected in the blue river. We sat in the riverside park and watched the sailboats float by, noticed the eagles float overhead and listened to the children play in the water.

It all got me to thinking about how everything reflects something. You reflect your parents. Your children reflect you. A smile given is reflected back to you. Good deeds are reflected back to you and to others. We are the mirrors of our lives.

All that thinking got me thirsty. It was time for a bit of refreshment, and soon a glass of wine was placed before me. Now, I’ve consumed just a few glasses of wine (Yeah, just a few, right!) and have thought many times about the growing, harvesting and making of the wine. Suddenly, my thinking came full circle and I begin to more fully appreciated how the wine reflects its history.

The wine reflects the soil in which it was grown. It reflects the climate and geography in which it was grown. It reflects the artistry of the wine maker. All those reflections come to you in that glass of wine you are drinking and gives you the ability to gain a reflection for yourself.

When you look into a mirror, what do you see? Yes, it’s you … at least I hope so! But, it’s also the genes (soil) of your ancestors, the family climate in which you grew up in and the parenting you received. We are the current reflections of the past, and it’s up to us to ensure what we pass on to others and what our future family will see in their mirrors is the goodness we passed to them.

We are reflections of our past so let’s make sure that, when a future family member looks into a mirror, they see the positivity we passed to them. Therefore, always note the reflections around you. In someway, they reflect you.

May your reflections always be ones that you will smile upon. And don’t forget to enjoy those reflections with a bit of your favorite wine!