Did You Know a Hippo's Sweat is Red?
Fun fact #2: more turkeys are raised in Minnesota than in any other state. Did you know that the oldest mummy in the world was found in Portugal? They are very interesting facts, but not terribly useful, unless you plan to be a contestant on Jeopardy. I learned all these things last night, but what I learned was far less important than how I learned them.
Our family is on vacation at the moment, so it has been great getting to relax a bit and visit Ruth’s and my families. It has been enjoyable to catch up on events, tell family stories (which generally result in everyone doubled over in laughter), and see the newest members of our extended family, who of course are cute as can be. But there is something even more valuable – time with your immediate family.
We’ve been spending the last few days with Ruth’s sister. They have a home nestled in the woods, far from the noise and lights of civilization. It’s very peaceful. So where do the random facts come in?
If you had peered from those dark woods into the living room window last night, you would have seen a solitary light illuminating two people curled up on the couch looking at an iPhone. Stephanie and I were playing a trivia app. The game itself was interesting, and it certainly helped having an English major to assist in answering which of the Brontë sisters wrote Jane Eyre (it was Charlotte). However, the more significant part of the story is that a dad and his daughter were spending time together, brainstorming solutions, laughing over goofy questions, and congratulating themselves on correct guesses.
I don’t know about your home, but those types of moments don’t happen as frequently as I’d like, especially now that our kids are grown. But the important thing has remained the same since the day they were born: family. That’s also why we are called North Dakota Family Alliance. All our work is about preservation and advancement of the family and the biblical values which undergird it. We exist so that these moments will never go away.
Yes, hippos have red sweat, Minnesota raises a lot of turkeys, and the oldest mummy in the world was found in Portugal. Those are interesting facts to me, but the most important part of last night was the bond between a father and daughter, curled up on a couch. Facts are fascinating, and may catch our interest for a time, but they change. It is love that lasts.