Last year my sister and I went to a celebration of our childhood neighborhood. When we were growing up the houses there were just considered old. This event was to celebrate our old stomping grounds as a designated historic street. A neighborhood built as part of a stately development at the end of a streetcar line that climbed its way up to the new homes.

Mature oaks and maples lined our street and turned beautiful shades of gold and yellow as one season closed, and another began. As a child I never thought about how those trees got there but then at the celebration I saw an old, scratchy, sepia-toned picture of our home when it was first built. It took me a minute to even recognize it as the house I called home. In my eyes, the faded picture showed a house that was bare. Perched upon an empty hill, that image reminded me of some spanking new subdivisions built atop a recently plowed cornfield.

It was odd to see our bare-naked house. The edges were so sharp it was almost painful to see. I couldn’t help but look away. This was still a new raw looking house. It had not yet gained the warm patina of home shaped by generations of children, pets and plantings.

Who planted the trees that now provide cool breezes and shade? How did they come to be?

Were they carefully, thoughtfully planted or did they volunteer like the backyard persimmon tree that my mother continued to mourn after the utility company cut it down?

In families, the people who came before you are your ancestors. Your mother and father had parents and they were your grandparents. Those grandparents had parents and grandparents and the line from which you come goes back a long, long way. You may not know their names, but they are still a part of your lineage. Their DNA became yours. The unnamed are a part of who you are.

Who planted the trees in my old yard? I’ll never know but I thank them. Those unnamed are like my ancestors. We may not share DNA, but I was blessed by their vision. Those unnamed followed through on a dream for the neighborhood that made my street beautiful. It was someone’s vision that shaded my home with trees and provided bushes as good places for hide and seek. Whoever saw that old picture for the first time didn’t see lack. They saw promise.

Back in the 1990s we sold our little farm outside of Nashville in Robertson County, Tennessee. It was a tough decision made easier by the enthusiasm of the buyers. There was some shade in the front but the first task they tackled was to plant trees along the sunny side of the house. She reminded me of the old saying, “Those who are wise plant trees even though they may not live long enough to enjoy the shade.”

That makes me wonder. What seeds am I planting? What do I want my harvest to reflect?

The natural world is teeming with seeds. Sometimes the planting is intentional like the new trees that will one day shade the farmhouse. Sometimes the planting is accidental like the dandelions sprinkled across our lawn. Each can yield results.

There are seeds of trees and flowers but as I learned from life experience, other things can be planted and yield results. In fact, there are significant things we plant daily through our thoughts, words and deeds.

Thoughts are powerful. Is your glass half-empty or half-full? This classic question still rings true. Studies show that we look for things throughout the day that affirm what we already believe. It’s called confirmation bias. Just like to a hammer everything is a nail, the filter you view the day with can directly affect you and those you interact with. What thoughts will you be remembered for?

Words are powerful. The harsh ones are often the words that stick with us the longest. As I worked in critical care, too many times did I witness old family wounds slashed open by harsh and thoughtless words. Things said in moments of stress and tragedy. What if my words became seeds of kindness or hope? The first step would be to become aware of what I am going to say before I say it.

Deeds are powerful. Especially those actions we do without thinking. They really reflect who we are at our core. Anybody can hold it together and act right for a while but what happens when fatigue or frustration sets in, or nobody is watching? That’s the challenge. Those deeds are the true reflection of who you are, not the happy façade so many of us work so hard to maintain.

Thoughts, words, and deeds affect everyday life. They are also the means to build the future. One day you will be the nameless ancestor. The decisions you make today affect the future for you as well as those who will one day carry your DNA. The choices you make now can have a positive effect.

• Thoughts:  Set your intention for the day and decide that you will be a force for good in any way possible.
• Words:  Think about what you are going to say. If your words were bullets, would you be spraying them about so carelessly?
• Deeds:  Actions speak louder than words. An open heart taps into your compassion so that you may resonate with those who need lifting up.

The story is yours. Now what are you going to make of it?