46 First Memories

My earliest memories are of our home in Eureka, South Dakota. I can still picture looking out over the top of my crib rails at a dark room with high windows on the far wall. I recall lying on the dark blue velveteen sofa with an earache while my grandfather blew pipe smoke into my ear to ease the pain. I remember playing on the basement foundation next to our house, and my mother didn't rush to save me; instead, she simply told me, “Don’t fall into the basement. It will be hard for you to get out.” Later, I learned that our home was actually the garage next to the proposed house that was meant to be built on the basement foundation.

My memories of that place are limited because we moved to a small farm on the edge of the vast prairies at the age of three. We rented the 160-acre farm, a quarter-section, from Pete Sandel. It consisted of both grain fields and pasture land, all situated on the sides of hills. Not long after I got used to this new lifestyle, I realized it was more than just a basement foundation and living in a garage. It was a vast, wonderful world of discovery and revelation that ignited a curiosity in me that has never faded.

I became part of the legacy, learning the trials and tribulations of farm life. When asked what crops we grew, I would probably respond with a lighthearted “rocks.” Whenever we found ourselves with nothing to do, we would head to the fields to pick up rocks and deposit them haphazardly in random piles. Nothing was ever wasted; the harvested corn was used for animal feed, and the leftover corncobs were collected for storage to be used in the cooking stove during the winter.

Embracing the art of living with what you have can be a profound and enriching journey. It nurtures a deep sense of gratitude, allowing you to appreciate the small joys and resources that surround you. By shifting your focus to maximizing your current situation, you unlock a wellspring of creativity and resourcefulness.

This approach invites you to find beauty in simplicity—a vibrant sunset, the warmth of a cozy blanket, or the smell of freshly brewed coffee. It encourages you to look beyond material possessions and see the potential in every inch of your life. This mindset fosters resilience and leads to a more meaningful and fulfilling existence, where each moment is cherished and approached with purpose.