For over 5 years I have held a diary in my possession. It is not just any old diary, either. It is that of my late great-grandmother, Edyth Sage Armstrong Hoyt -- a great Bible scholar -- and a very typical mother of four that lived through many historic events: the turning of the 20th century, the Great Depression, WWI and WWII, a catastrophic accident that left her with a diagnosis of never being able to have children (to which she responded with four little miracles) and a life of deep, true love. I cannot say that I remember knowing my great-grandmother, as she died fourteen years before my birth, however, I am blessed by her legacy. She was a woman of faith -- strong and unwavering in her love of God and all of His creation. She was a published writer who left behind many printed works that I can tangibly hold in my hands and read through to learn more about the Bible and its main characters. She was a mother who stoically ignored the doctors who told her to give up her dream of having children. Her motherly intuition told her God had other plans...and so He did. Thankfully, I am here, three generations later, as living proof that her bloodline is still alive and well.
I acquired Edyth's diary shortly after the death of her daughter, Jean Louise, my paternal grandmother, who had held it in safe-keeping since her own mother's death. In the lines that are so beautifully and meticulously documented are the words of someone I recognize - a voice I know. It is the voice of my ancestors, my father and grandmother, who were taught by Edyth and raised with the advice and encouragement I am now reading from she herself. They are two of the reasons I desire to know more about Edyth and about where she came from. My father and grandmother are two of the most righteous, faithful, prayerful, courageous individuals I have ever known. Their lives are a testimony to their faith and to their ancestors, like Edyth, who, not surprisingly, overcame some pretty magnificent challenges and who chose to remain focussed through it all on life's beauty.
Despite reading single entries over and over (Edyth's writing is melodic and reads like a song; it is captivating and at times, breathtaking, like listening to the voice of God), I have never actually read through the entire diary from cover to cover. I deeply desire to do so. However, it has strongly been on my heart that all the descendants of this brave, prayer-warrior should benefit from her insights, her strength, her love of life and of simplicity. Thus, I want share her words here, on this blog, where you can all read along with me and step into life almost one hundred years ago. It's truly astonishing to me that these words are that old. That the ink used to put them onto paper is still very opaque and delights in being read. The words quite literally jump off the page as though they just recently left their pen with Edyth's distinguishable cursive writing and her playful style that includes exclamation points and many interjections. It's amazing to see similarities in the way her words look on paper and the way mine look. Is penmanship really such a dominant genetic trait? Perhaps so, but in that case, I can only hope that many of Edyth's other traits have also been passed down through the generations.
Through sharing her words, I hope to open new conversations between family members who have never met one another. Perhaps broken or torn relationships will find new grounds for discussion and reminiscence. I aspire to carry her legacy forward and to share the depth of this simple but profound woman. And possibly, as we learn more about her story and about her life journey, we will ultimately learn more about ourselves and the deep connection shared by all of us: children of God. I invite your additions to these stories. If you have facts to add or details that would clarify parts of the story (perhaps explanation of a named person or event), please share them in the comments below that section. If you have lengthier input please feel free to e-mail me so that I can include appropriate pieces in the longer narrative. And of course, be encouraged. It is not everyday that we find a gift like this. Edyth has captured a glimpse of another world, another time and place, and cocooned it protectively in the bindings of this book so that now, one hundred years later, we can open it for the first time and transport back to a golden era.
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