Define Successes Or Miss Them

Success often appears as things and money, but many indicators define successes. How well a person succeeds in life really has to do with the relationships they build, maintain, and nurture. As I look at my ancestors, I look for those who showed outward signs of success, and those who didn’t fare as well.

I used to judge them pretty harshly based on what I perceived as success. If they were not wealthy, they failed. If they had land and money, they were doing things right. I chose to change that thinking, and I feel closer to my ancestors than ever before.

Successes Produce Results

All too often people define success as the result they see. In fact, the result is one of the end products of one’s success. As I look at my own life, I am beginning to see the power of looking to my ancestors for their advice on the matter. It may seem strange, but looking for help will often provide insight that I have been lacking.

Francis Fincher died in Pennsylvania shortly after he arrived from England. William Penn allotted land to him. Francis was chosen to be the first Speaker of the Assembly in 1684. He turned it down and passed away a few months later. The results came, not from riches, but from a life well lived. He was a man of conviction. The English imprisoned him several times because he stood up for his beliefs. He suffered much, but his legacy lives on because of his character.

Circumstances May Change Results, Temporarily

My grandfather, Siegfried Biensfeld, was a very successful man in my eyes. He took over management of his family’s estate when he was in his teens when his father became ill. He decided to change the nature of the estate from farming to horse breeding. Trakehner horses were in high demand in Germany during this time, and he quickly engineered the transition. Things were going well, except conditions in his area were changing with events in Germany.

With the onslaught of World War II, my grandfather left the estate in the hands of his help as the Wehrmacht drafted him into the service. As the German Army prepared to attack Russia, he found himself stationed near his home. He got permission to visit from his commanding officer.

What he found shocked him. Driving up in a military vehicle and accosted immediately, he asked to see his parents. An officer rudely demanded to know who he was. After explaining that it was his home, he received permission to enter his home. His parents informed him that the army had taken all but a few livestock and that they took all the horses. Though they received payment for the procured items, the means of providing more than food was gone.

This was the end of his wealth. It was not the end of his successes. He survived the war in Russia. He managed to arrange passage to the west at the end of the war and found employment. His efforts helped keep his family alive after they reunited. Turning to new opportunities, he moved his family to the United States and worked for years in a good job. He raised my mom and her sister, and was a caring grandfather.

Choice Determines Successes

My grandfather didn’t regain great wealth, but he made more of his life than what he started with when all hope seemed lost. His greatest success? He never gave up. When life gets tough, and it really will from time to time, don’t give up. Keep looking for opportunities. Always work toward your goals. Don’t forget to look for the lessons that life has to offer. You will see more clearly and find more success.

I’m grateful for the efforts my ancestors made in unbearable circumstances. I have learned from them, and I don’t have to repeat their mistakes or efforts if I will learn. I can earn my own success by honoring theirs.