How a found journal helped me know a remarkable man

My brother Jon recently came across the journals of my grandfather, David Horton Elton. The books were nothing special: no leather covers with fine Italian paper or gold-gilded pages. They were simple books; the writing inside made them precious.

My grandfather was a wonderful poet. His journals are a peek into his life and family-in his time and place-all recorded in the most beautiful Spenserian script.

Grandpa Elton was born in 1877 in Worcester, England, and passed away in 1963 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He lived in Lethbridge, Alberta for most of his life and is buried there. He was even the mayor of that city for two terms.

As you might imagine, the world changed in historic ways over Grandpa Elton's lifetime, and thankfully he kept a detailed record of it all. He lived through two world wars, the Great Depression, the invention of the automobile, the building of the first real transcontinental roads, then the advent of air travel that allowed people to see the world.

He was born just one year after the invention of the telephone and lived to see Yuri Gagarin shot into space. Grandpa Elton saw the game-changing innovations of radio and

television in communications. He bore witness to the building of the modern world. This innovation transformed his life in ways he couldn't have imagined. What a time to be alive.

Along with all these observations in his journals, he made a record of his family. He and his loving wife had five children and more grandchildren and great-grandchildren than I have room to mention. He talked about their birthdays, marriages, and anniversaries. He gave insight into loved ones' deaths, heartbreaks, and the trials of life.?

I love that he took the time to record all of this so I could learn about his world, my family, and how he lived a life of purpose, service, and integrity. Because Grandpa Elton did hard things, I can do hard things too. He died when I was just five years old. I only have very vague recollections of him, so these journals and stories from my father are the only ways I had of getting to know this remarkable man.

Grandpa Elton's example inspired me to start keeping a journal. Today, more than 40 journals line my bookcase, and I continue to write regularly about family, friends, faith, and the world around me. I hope that someday my children and great-grandchildren will know about my world, the joys, the sorrows, and how the world changed and evolved around me. This connection can bring generations together and strengthen families and their faith.

That is my hope.

In my journals, I often wonder if anyone will ever read what I have written. I sometimes hide money between pages hoping they would at least look for the cash one day and stumble across something profitable.

I share all of this because I hope you find ways to tell your story and leave something behind for your kids, grandkids, and others who come after us. My grandfather's story helped me understand my place in the world. Many studies show that knowing where you come from helps to build deeper relationships and gives you a better sense of belonging and purpose.

I am grateful for these priceless journals Jon found, and I hope years from now, my journals might do the same for my family.

You can start today by writing regularly in a journal. If you are already keeping a record, I would love to hear how it helps you.

Always grateful for your time and support of this journal. I hope you are having a gratitude-filled day.

Love and gratitude,

The Gratitude Files ??

I have a gift for you. If you would like a copy of the book of poetry by My grandfather, "Live all your Life", drop a note below and Christy will send you a copy ([email protected]) Meanwhile, here is a favorite.

Anxiety at Work Podcast

Each week, my co-author and dear friend,?Adrian Gostick, and I are grateful for the opportunity to talk to leading authorities on mental health and explore the causes of workplace stress and anxiety, along with practices that are proven to reduce tension & cultivate calm.?

Our guest: Christian Madsbjerg , author and observer

Hosts: Chester Elton & Adrian Gostick

Key Takeaways:

We lead abstract lives detached from people and phenomena. This causes misery. Directly observe instead and pay attention on 3 levels:

1?? Panoptic - general awareness

2?? Focused - zooms in on details

3?? Hyper-reflective - observes how others observe

Don't lead life looking through a window of abstraction.

With us is our new friend?Christian Madsbjerg?who is cofounder of the consulting firm ReD Associates. He writes, speaks, and teaches on the practical application of human sciences. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Financial Times, The Washington Post, and Bloomberg Business Week.

He is the author of the new book from Penguin Random House.?“Look: How to pay attention is a distracted world.”?

Visit?The Culture Works for free resources including

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Leading with Gratitude?&?Anxiety at Work?are sold at fine bookstores everywhere.