CHAPTER FIVE — MATERNAL INFLUENCES

In 1879, my mother’s grandfather, Dietrich Weitzenkamp, emigrated from Germany to America. He brought his fine-tuned farming knowledge with him and settled many homesteads and farms throughout the Midwest. Having a large family to help tend the crops was key to his success. Mother was one of nine children: four girls and five boys. This large family was bound together with a steadfast unspoken love. Shared holidays and birthdays at one another’s homes created a lifetime of warm memories—simple joys of being together.

The Weitzenkamps were honest, frugal, humble, God-fearing Midwest American classics known for their dependability and strong work ethic. Even though their very firm religious influence kept me grounded, life experiences taught me that rigid rules and fearing God did not work for me. Once my perspective shifted to God-loving, I started to heal the past. Everything was perfectly choreographed for a peaceful spiritual path.