Health Harmony & Happiness with Cathy

#94: A Century of Wisdom: Revealing the Secrets to Living a Long Life, Part 2

• Cathy Struecker • Season 3 • Episode 94

Share episode

Today in honor of International Women's Day, I want to continue to honor one of the women I admire most in this world.  A woman who has lived a full life with a relaxed ease.  Leading with love and connection rather than fear and avoidance, she is a beautiful picture of what Health Harmony and Happiness is.

In part 2 of my conversation with my 104-year-old friend, Christa Belknap, we dive deeper into her wisdom and perceptive insights on life.   We talk about life amid historical events, her unanticipated adaptability to technology and the profound impact of education. Christa shares her adventurous side, reminiscing of her time in a motorcycle club and traveling with her husband to wistfully recounting the emotions attached to historical events like sending family off to war.

Her contagious spirit of resilience and adaptability combined with her love for others and curiosity in life instills a significant message.

Episode Resources:
Apple Podcasts - Leave a rating or review here to help the show out

Want to support the show?
Donate through Venmo or Paypal if you feel called to.


Other Resources:
Daily Rhythms Journal

Tired of feeling the pressure of life... always pushing through even when you want to just slow down?  This is the tool you need to start allowing yourself the permission to do just that - stop trying so hard. Use this tracker to get out of your head, stop trying to fix and start truly cultivating health, harmony and happiness.

Breathe to Flow 30-minute Virtual Weekly Breathwork Class

How We Feel App (Android)
How We Feel App (iPhone)

Sun Salutation Guided Downloadable Video

To get started with your yoga practice, you'll need a mat!
Here's the only yoga mat I recommend.


Grab the full show notes and resources at www.cairnyogawellness.com/podcast94 and subscribe and listen wherever you catch your podcasts.

More Episodes Like This One:
#93:  A Century of Wisdom: Revealing the Secrets to Living a Long Life, Part 1
#74: The Universe's Pace is the Right Pace
#16: Transitioning Through Seasons of Life

We'd love to hear from you! Send us a text and let us know what inspired you from the show.

Join the Energetic Rhythms for Intentional Living community here.

Follow us:
Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Rate or review this podcast on Apple Podcasts here.

Cathy:

From sending loved ones to war, to adopting technological advances, the secret to a long life might just lie in the delicate balance of doing and being all the while inviting adaptability and acceptance, knowing when to pursue. And when to surrender with a grateful heart and allow the natural flow of life's events. hi friends. Welcome to episode 94. Thank you for being here today. Before we jump into the show, I haven't asked this in a while, so I want to take a minute to do so. If you like this show and you benefit from the content that I'm putting out, would you be willing to just head over to Apple Podcasts and rate or review the show? When you do that, it helps the show get in front of more listeners, which helps move along this global health, harmony, and happiness movement we are spurring right along. And it's just one little thing that you can do to support the show for free. It only takes a minute or two, but is so incredibly helpful. I've put a link in the show notes to make this super easy for you. A little bit of a soap box for a moment. If you've ever had to sell anything, you know that it can be a little bit intimidating at times to ask people to buy what you're putting out there, especially if it's your own content and creation. It's vulnerable for creators to put themselves out there, so it can absolutely be scary. Guess what? I'm no different. Asking you to support this show isn't the easiest thing for me to do, but it is necessary if the show is going to continue on. I don't make any money on this show, but I like doing it. I will also drop a link for Venmo and PayPal in case you do want to make a donation to the show, I would greatly appreciate it. I like making content, but it does take a lot of time and energy. So for a small podcaster like me, who at this time in my life does all the production on my own. I sometimes question whether the return on investment is worth it. But what reminds me that it is, is when I see reviews and great emails from you all sharing your insights and reflections or just encouragement to keep going. So all I'm asking you to do is just take a few moments of time to help put this podcast in front of other people with a rating or a review and possibly even sharing it with others. And I want to thank you so much in advance so for listening. In this episode, I continue my conversation with my friend, Christa Belknap, who started sharing her century old wisdom with us in the last episode today, she shares stories that will help you connect with the past and perhaps prompt you to start asking yourself some of these questions that I asked her in an effort to shift your own life. Towards greater health, harmony, and happiness. Christa also shares some of her beautiful advice on how to go about doing that. Enjoy the show. So we had a little bit of a break and, um, Christa got her hair done and she's beautiful as ever. And, uh, and now we are ready and settled and ready to get back to some of these, some of these burning questions that, that we have about life and the wisdom that you have, um, to give and to offer. And I'm so grateful that you're here and so grateful that you're taking this time. So thank you very much. So I guess one of the things that I want to know too is what do you look forward to each day?

Christa:

Well, various things, almost like everybody else's life, you know. You know, tomorrow, let's see, tomorrow, uh, I have, like, I have to make my grocery list. And, uh, I have a load of work that needs to be done. And I've got a note I need to send a birthday card to someone that I know. You know, just like everybody. Only it takes me twice as long, or maybe four times as long when you're in a wheelchair. That's the thing about it, it's so time consuming, you just can't go fast.

Cathy:

Sure. That makes sense. And you know, that's okay though. That's okay. Because think of how mindful you are about the things that you do. Um, sending birthday cards, you know, like. You are so thoughtful and so kind, and I loved getting that card in the mail from you, you know, last, I think it was last week or so, and you are just so thoughtful, and I think we don't often slow down enough and take the time to do those sorts of things, and so you're just a great example of that, and if it takes a little bit longer, well, it takes a little bit longer. That's okay. That's beautiful. So you've, you've got things to look forward to because you still keep yourself busy.

Christa:

It's true. You know, too busy. Some days too busy.

Cathy:

Oh my goodness. Well, it's a good, it's a good problem to have, I guess, at 104.

Christa:

I think the general public thinks when you're real old that you're just sitting at home waiting for somebody to come, you know, or call, uh, they don't think that you do things for yourself. And I'm sure that all, all elderly people do do most of them, you know, do do things. It's of course, one of the reasons that I work hard to stay in my own home because it's my thing. I've always been a homemaker, you know, and I think that that I'll be very sad if someday I do have to go to a nursing home. But I'll be grateful for the people that care for the people, including me, that are in the nursing home. But still, I won't be happy to leave my home.

Cathy:

No, it's kind of like, it's almost like it's your career, because that's what you did.

Christa:

I transferred.

Cathy:

Those transitions are hard when we transition away from big things, just like I'm sure it was hard when your kids moved away too, and your kids live far away, so you really don't get to see them as often as, as I'm sure you would love to see them or as often as you used to see them. Yeah.

Christa:

That's true. And during COVID, for instance, that was two years. Oh my gosh. Between the time that they felt safe, you know. Make an airplane trip. Sure. And they were worried about giving it to me if they came back and got sick.

Cathy:

Yeah, yeah. That's, that's, of course. Rightfully so. So speaking of that, and you were able to stay in touch with, with technology. You were able to use technology in your life to stay connected with them. Um, and that makes me so much. Curious about your adaptability and openness and willing to learn, um, education has always been something that's been very important to you and the, the ability and desire to want to learn more. And I think I know that just because I know you, and I know some of the things that you stand for and some of the things that you believe in and the growth of others is also very important to you. You use an iPad, you use a computer. We're having this interview. over zoom and you're on your iPad. And I have to think that the spirit of openness and willingness to, um, be open to new technologies and new changes that you've seen over your lifetime is because you've seen so many of those technological advances over your lifetime. Do you think?

Christa:

I think that's true too, yes, for everybody, not just me, but for everybody. Yeah,

Cathy:

but for some it's really hard to, you know, there's a really big struggle with adopting technology or accepting or wanting to learn about technology or learn to use it. Um, what are some of the reasons that you think that you've been able to adapt to all the changes that you've seen over the course of your life?

Christa:

Well, probably um, because my children are both that way. Like I remember when I needed, I thought I needed a new typewriter. And Marjo said, Oh mom, don't get a typewriter, get a computer. She and her husband were in the computer business at the time. Aha.

Cathy:

What's a good business to be in?

Christa:

And I got a computer probably older, uh, earlier. than some people my age, because, because she suggested it, see.

Cathy:

You're an early adopter.

Christa:

Why not? Yeah. And I've never really had formal training on a computer. What, what I've learned has been from other people like you or Kay, you know, or Sheldon. But you

Cathy:

knew how to type, because you used a typewriter, it sounds like. So

Christa:

that's one of the. Yeah, that was, that was the reason, that was, could be blamed on the, uh, the times at the time because we were in the deep depression. And so the high schools, uh, switched over and they taught all kinds of business courses, you know, business English, business. This business that typing shorthand was among it, you see, they were trying to prepare graduates for the jobs that were going to be available. So I had all that in high school.

Cathy:

That makes so much sense. That was a big turning point in your life, probably. Yes.

Christa:

Yes.

Cathy:

What do you think, um, what were some of the other big turning points, in your life? Were they, like, political things? Were they military movements? Or were they more personal and, um, intrinsic landmarks? Like marriage and children and so

Christa:

forth. More personal. Uh huh. Yeah. I really I don't think I was really terribly interested in politics until probably when my children were in school and then we began to notice, you know, what, what the, uh, what was going on with people that ran the school.

Cathy:

I wonder what, what invention or, um, technological advance has had the biggest impact on your life? Like if you think back over the course of your life, what was the invention or thing that you were able to bring into your home or that your parents brought into your home that was like, you Yes, this makes life so much easier, so much better.

Christa:

Well, the very first one was a new automobile, uh, that my parents bought, you know. And that was, and my, uh, dad worked for Ford Motor Company in Des Moines when, when cars were a new thing, you know. Not every family had one.

Cathy:

How old were you when your family first got a car?

Christa:

Well, the new one that I'm thinking of, which was, um, I'm sure was purchased when I was about two or three years old. And then we took a trip to Pontiac, Michigan, because some of dad's buddies had gone there and they were making more money and making Pontiacs than Ford was paying. And so they talked him into. Moving to Pontiac, which we did, and this is something that everybody will laugh about, um, when we, we, we had the new Chevrolet, and we thought, you know, everything was hunky dory. Well, it was April in Iowa, and the roads were not paved, and on the way. We got stuck in mud two or three times, and a farmer would come either with a horse or a tractor and pull us out of the mud. And we only made it to Dubuque in that whole day. We had Dubuque. Jose, so then we had to stay in a hotel, which was the first time I'd ever done that. I was in third grade, I remember.

Cathy:

Oh my goodness,

Christa:

what a treat. And we, we stayed in a motel, a hotel, not a motel, no, no motels, hotel in downtown Dubuque. The next morning, the car wouldn't start. So my dad had to find a repairman, you know, and he said, Well, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you've lost your battery in one of those holes that they drug you out of your batteries back there. You have no battery. So my. Go out and buy a new battery. Oh my

Cathy:

gosh. How did you make it to the hotel? If you didn't have a battery?

Christa:

Well, as long as the car keeps going. See, it was

Cathy:

alright. It would just go. Okay. I don't know that much about how old cars would have worked or would have been.

Christa:

I think even new cars are that way. I think. As long as you're running, you're okay, but as soon as you try to start, that's when you have trouble. Oh my gosh. But a car wouldn't lose a battery

Cathy:

anymore. So did you make it to Michigan? Yes,

Christa:

we did. It took a couple of years.

Cathy:

They didn't take it as, he didn't, your family didn't take it as a sign that, oh, we're not supposed to go. We keep getting stuck. Our car won't start. We should still go. You persevered. Yeah. Oh my goodness. It was.

Christa:

What other. Go ahead. I would guess that it was the furthest away from home that either one of my parents had been. So it was an adventure and they were young, you know. Oh, I bet. And I suspect that was the furthest they had ever been from home probably.

Cathy:

Wow. Wow. So what other inventions? kind of had a memorable impact on your life.

Christa:

Oh, radio, I can remember when, uh, We just thought radio was one man's family was the common one that everybody loved it was about a family. Of course, yeah, you could even send her pictures of the people that were playing the parts, and, you know, have so many points for this or that or something else, and get a. Picture, because you'd, you'd get so acquainted with those people that you felt like they were a part of your family and you wished you knew what they looked like, you know. You like, uh, radio and then of course TV, you know. It hasn't been that many years. When we moved to Knoxville in 1941, just before Pearl Harbor, and believe it or not, our schools did not have any school buses. As late as 1941.

Cathy:

Wow.

Christa:

Girls, like Francis Kirkwood for instance, girls would find a job in town and help with the children or the, the household, you know, when they were homeless. They would stay from Monday till Friday with some family and, and we had two girls that did that, stayed with us from, from Sunday night till Friday. And after school their parents would pick them up and take them back to the farm, keep them until I bet that was a huge help. Yes, it was. And we loved, we just loved the girls that stayed with us. Oh, I bet. I bet. And I've kept in touch all these years with them.

Cathy:

Oh my gosh. How wonderful. How wonderful. Is there one outside of the automobile? Is there one What other technological advancement or, I don't know, some sort of progress that has really changed the way that you do things?

Christa:

Well, I'm thinking of airplanes and of course they haven't changed my way of doing things.

Cathy:

Sure.

Christa:

But when my children were small, I had a mangle. An iron is an iron. It goes round and round and round because we, we ironed sheets. Pillowcases and all that sort of tablecloths, uh, and I had a mangle, and one of my A mangle? M A N G L E. Mangle. Oh, a mangle. Mangle. Okay. I don't even know what that is. It's an iron. Electric iron. Okay. Two feet wide, maybe, and it goes round and round and round, and you put the flat pieces in there, and they're ironed, you know, saves you probably 50 percent of your ironing at that time. People iron daily.

Cathy:

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I see. It's like a rotary iron.

Kay:

Kind of like a ringer washing machine.

Cathy:

Yeah.

Christa:

Yeah. Yeah. It was ironing. Uh huh.

Cathy:

But this just, this just made it go a lot faster.

Christa:

Yeah.

Cathy:

Gotcha.

Christa:

You were sitting down, you were sitting down instead of standing.

Cathy:

Oh, super nice. Yeah.

Christa:

But it would save you a lot of time.

Cathy:

Sure. I bet. I bet. Wow. Incredible.

Kay:

Christa, have you always had electricity?

Christa:

Yes.

Kay:

Okay. You're unusual place. Yeah. Yeah, I've always lived in a house that had electricity. What about a washing machine? Yeah. I even remember my grandmother's washing machine. She lived on a farm.

Cathy:

Oh my goodness.

Christa:

But in the summer, it was kept out in a little shed, you know, and in the summer, she would bring it outdoors. And if I were visiting, and it was not electric, it was hanged back and forth. Yeah, forward and back, forward and back, You operated the handle. And then I heard that you did, you operated by hand, you know, to ring it, to ring it. Yeah, yeah. And it turned to make butter, you know, or you did it up and down.

Cathy:

Yeah, yeah.

Christa:

Of course, being a teenager, I, I thought that was great fun, you know, to make,

Cathy:

I'm sure. So much different than teenagers today. So much different. I don't know that they would think that making butter is that fun. Oh my goodness. Well, what do you think is or was the most important progress of our country in your lifetime? That's a big one.

Christa:

Yes, it is.

Cathy:

I mean, you've been through. Two world wars, right? You've lived through?

Christa:

Yes. There were so many little wars, you know, my father was involved in First World War and my husband was involved in Second World War. And that made a real life change too. We had already established the store in Knoxville when he got drafted because even though we were we had not had children yet. So they, they got down to the, to the And the people who did not have children came next. Sure. So, uh. So what did that, how did that change your life then? Well, gratefully, thankfully for us, Jack's parents decided they would move to Knoxville and keep the store open for him while he was gone. Wow. I, and then I was able to, uh, go and follow him around as long as he was in the United States. You know, I could, and I did, I left Knoxville then, went to, uh, Denver. Nice place to be, Denver. And he was taught to repair bomb sites. There were two different bomb sites they were using. And he was, because he was so good with his hands, he was taught to repair bomb sites. When he, when his outfit went overseas, he was, he did not pass the physical test because he had been in an accident and had a badly injured leg. And so he didn't pass the physical, so he was lucky to not go old.

Cathy:

No kidding. No kidding. Well, that's kind of cool that you got to travel around and then be where he was at the same time too. Um, so how long were you in various places and was Denver the only place that you were?

Christa:

Yes, that was the only place I was. He had been. And how long were you there? About a year.

Cathy:

Nice. Nice.

Christa:

He got to come home a little bit sooner than some of the other fellas, which was another advantage for us because we were able to buy a home then before inflation. Oh, yeah.

Cathy:

Sure. Oh my gosh. So many things. What's the most memorable thing that you've witnessed in your lifetime?

Christa:

There would be a lot of departments.

Cathy:

I bet. I bet. Maybe pick a few.

Christa:

The, uh, oh gee, that, that's difficult. I'd have to think about that a little more. That's fine. Maybe I'm not easily impressed. I don't know.

Cathy:

What about the birth of your children or the, um, putting a man on the moon or, uh, I don't know, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, which

Christa:

Well, yes.

Cathy:

Who knows? You know, like those things are, wow.

Christa:

Yes. I remember where we were and how shocked we were when we heard that news. Same with the, uh, when the airplanes hit the New York, you know, that was a shock. Well, the men on the moon, that was really the first time that anybody went to the moon. You know, I think the whole world was on, looking at the TV, you know. And to think that we could watch that.

Cathy:

That's pretty dang impressive.

Christa:

Yeah, yeah. So that, I think, I mean, TV is one of the things that, That has been a big, big impression. And all the, all the things connected, like you and I being able to talk together.

Cathy:

Yeah, it's pretty cool. Yeah. It's pretty cool. We, none of us really understand, I don't think. No. No, Kay was telling me about you used to ride the trolley in Des Moines and I don't know if many people in this area even know that there was a trolley in Des Moines. And I, I have to say that people across the world will listen to this podcast. So they might, you know, not care too much about Des Moines, Iowa, but, um, but I think it's a pretty cool thing. And you've gotten to see that urban sprawl also the growth of. of the cities around you and how that's happened.

Christa:

It still amazes me, you know, when we drive out in the western part. Uh, when I was young, that was called Valley Junction.

Cathy:

Mm hmm.

Christa:

West was called Valley Junction. Sixty years. 63rd Street was the end of Des Moines. You know, it still amazes me when I see what's happening out there, and it kind of frightens me, because I don't think our, our farmland is too precious to be going up in factories. I, I think there should be a stop, you know, where the, Are not allowed to sell our farmland, you know.

Cathy:

Yeah, I don't know. We, we feed a tough spot because we need space, because we, we need, um, space for people. So, and, you know, the, the, ah, that's another thing. Like, you've seen this growth of, of just people. Like, we just have so many more people now than we did long ago. So I bet that's been an interesting thing to observe and watch as well.

Christa:

True.

Cathy:

With hindsight, if you could relive your life, what would you do better? And what would you do more of?

Christa:

I really can't think of any way that, that I could be happier as an individual, uh, than the life that I've lived. I'm happy with, with what I've

Cathy:

And that is a beautiful, you know, have, have you always been like that or was there a turning point that you got to in life that you were like, you know what, I need to stop worrying about this silly stuff and I'm just going to be content with what I have?

Christa:

No, I don't remember if, if there was that kind of a, of a change, you know?

Cathy:

Yeah, it sounds like you've had this grateful heart. As long as you can remember and just this appreciative heart. And that's so beautiful. And I think that that's what so many people in this world are actually seeking and trying to trying to get to. So when we have wonderful role models like you to learn from, um, it gives a little bit of hope, I think.

Christa:

Well, I hope we all, you know, have some of those values that, as you say, uh, all adults should, should have some values that are willing to be passed on. Hopefully our children will be wise enough to choose the ones.

Cathy:

Absolutely. We have to just trust. We have to let go of control and trust, right?

Christa:

Right.

Cathy:

Was there anything that you used to worry about or that you worried about in life that maybe you didn't need to worry about so much that now you realize and you look and you get this big picture view that's like, Oh, it was so silly. I used to worry about this all the time. And. You know, my kids turned out fine or whatever it was.

Christa:

Well, I'm, I'm sure this is true of many parents, but the older you get, the more you feel. I hope I don't outlive either one of my children, you know, that's a lot of parents have that feeling, especially if, if they live beyond their sort of. What's the word I want? Anyway, there's

Cathy:

the average life span.

Christa:

That's right. Yeah. Yeah. The average life, which I have, you know,

Cathy:

absolutely have. Yeah.

Christa:

So that would be the hardest thing in the world for me to have to go through would be the loss of one of my children.

Cathy:

The heartbreak that would come with that.

Christa:

Mm hmm. Yes, sir. You build yourself up to where you expect it from your parents, you know, you expect them to die before you do, but to have your children. And I think that maybe is the hardest thing for any parents. Sure. Or, or even to lose a newborn child, you know, to have a child not live or not be normal. Yeah. I think that would be one of the most difficult things.

Kay:

Christa, you sent Burton, you know, to Vietnam. You and Jack waved goodbye, you know, as, as Burton went overseas. Mm hmm.

Christa:

Oh yeah.

Cathy:

Oh boy, I bet that was a scary time.

Christa:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. When I saw my son head for the airplane that was going to take him to Vietnam, you know, that was fun. Well, still, it's hard for me. Yeah. And I'm sure it was hard for him.

Cathy:

And how long was he over there?

Christa:

He was there a year, but see, he was a, he had just graduated from medical school. So he was over there to try to save lives. That was the council. And I thought. What a blessing. That's amazing. He's not shooting at people and nobody's shooting at him. He's there to help the people who have been shot, you know, or whatever. And, uh, and so I think his, um, memories of Vietnam are more pleasant than for almost any other range of people being, being a part of the healing instead of the killing, you know?

Cathy:

Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Wow. That had to be hard. That would be something that would be memorable for sure, for sure. And the worry, do you feel like you have any regrets or did you earlier in your life that you don't have anymore because you have grown and you have just learned to, to um, accept life as it is?

Christa:

Yes. Yeah. I think, I think it's more that I really can't think of anything that. And I feel that I just actually made the wrong decision and should have done differently. The, uh, perhaps there were little things that I've already forgotten. But no, no major thing, you know, I, I never, never.Christata,

Cathy:

I have to say that that's probably one of the reasons why you. Have lived as long as you've lived, is that you're not holding on to things that, that don't serve you, you know, you're able to release and to let go.

Christa:

Well, thank you.

Cathy:

Yeah. If you could go back, this is kind of a fun one. If you could go back to a, um, to a particular year or a decade or a time in your life, if you could like time travel and just go back for a little while, what decade, what year, what time in your life would you go back to, to just visit?

Christa:

Hmm. Well, that's interesting.

Cathy:

Yeah, I know. This is one that, that came in and I thought, well, that's an interesting question. Mind you, we had people, I had people, um, from across the world that submitted questions to, to ask you. So we are, we are getting a broad range and, um, I hope that there will be people from all over that will listen to this.

Christa:

Well, thank you.

Cathy:

Yeah.

Christa:

I've enjoyed doing it. And to answer your last question, I'd have to think about that a little more too, I think.

Cathy:

Yeah, that's fine. And then just consider also maybe how long you would want to stay there. You know, I don't know, it's an interesting one for all of us to think about because we can go back and we can revisit any time in our lives just by going back in our mind, right? We can close our eyes and, and go back and revisit anything. And who's to say that those memories aren't actually bringing us back to that place and time and allowing us to feel the feelings and to hear the sounds and, to actually experience it because we have that power in our mind. And I think that's a beautiful thing. So I don't know. It's just kind of a fun little question.

Christa:

Uh, well, the more I think about it, um, maybe the first five years of my marriage. Because that was such a change, you know, and we were having so much fun, just enjoying each other and doing things we wanted to do. And then along came the war, so we put off having a family. We thought it would be better, you know, to, uh, and as you said, I was able to follow Jack around and still not, you know, not have to go through a real separation. Yeah. Or a year or whatever. So I think maybe the first five years of marriage probably were.

Cathy:

Ah, that's beautiful.

Christa:

That I would enjoy going back to. That's beautiful. That's beautiful.

Cathy:

How long has Jack been gone?

Christa:

He died in 2001. 2001. Uh, 22, 22 years in. That's a long time. Yes, it is. Wow, wow. And he was 85 at the time and I was 80.

Cathy:

And at that time you think, wow, like he's lived a really good life, you know? Uh huh. And here you are 22 years later.

Christa:

Yeah. I never would have believed it if anybody had I didn't do it on purpose.

Cathy:

I bet you miss him. I bet you do miss him.

Christa:

Of course. I still dream about him. You know? Oh,

Cathy:

I love that. I like to think, um, when I have dreams about special or important people like that, who have maybe, uh, left this earth, I like to think that that's their way of visiting us. And just being able to spend time with us.

Christa:

Um, I think about that too, you know, what if he saw what I was doing right now, you know,

Cathy:

he's probably right up there cheering you along saying you go get them girl. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. Well, what tips do you have for. younger people of today, for the youth of today.

Christa:

Well, that requires a lot of thought too. You know, a, uh, maybe as far as, uh, deportment, if you want to call it that, uh, always be kind, try to be loving, try to be helpful, make the most of your talents, take your time. Seriously, work hard to do whatever you choose to do. Work hard.

Cathy:

I love it. Those are beautiful tips.

Christa:

I saw one person say, or maybe it was even on TV, he said that the best gift you can give your children is to love their wife. And I thought that was

Cathy:

Yeah,

Christa:

and not really thought about, but yeah, maybe, maybe some of the problems if it's a problem family, maybe. You don't love each other enough, you know.

Cathy:

And I think we don't demonstrate that love enough also.

Christa:

Mm hmm. Yes.

Cathy:

You know, and I, and what kids see or what, how, what kids do is what's modeled for them at home. So, we, we have a society that doesn't always or hasn't until recently. I think this is shifting. I think we're on the cusp of things shifting and changing. Um, where it's not been historically the thing for men to show that affection and for men to, to show that softness and tenderness. And I think we're kind of shifting the tables on that and allowing for men to be in touch with their emotional side and to be okay with learning about it and, um, feeling the feelings and not just being taught to shut them down and to block them off. So I think that's kind of a cool thing that at least I'm observing in my. Um, I don't know for men to be so present and available for kids and, and their families and to support the families in a way that it's not just the moms doing all of the parenting and all of the work. I think that's a, that's a shift that at least I've observed from the time that I was a kid too, um. My husband does a ton for our family. He does laundry. He cooks. He, he helps clean. He helps run the kids, you know, and that's like. So helpful. So wonderful.

Christa:

Very true. Very true. You're a lucky girl.

Cathy:

Yeah, thank you. I like to think so too. I like to think so. Alright, we've got just a few more questions, Christa, that I want to ask or that I want to touch on before we wrap up. Do you like traveling? Or did you in your life like traveling? We've heard of a couple of places that you've been, but

Christa:

Yes and no. Uh huh.

Cathy:

Tell me more.

Christa:

Um, we've seen, as a family, we've seen an awful lot of the United States. Uh, we neither one had a real desire to go overseas. Hmm. And, and I guess that's a, maybe unusual, you know.

Cathy:

Yeah. At this point in your life, do you ever think back on that and think, Oh, I wish I would've gone overseas?

Christa:

Yes. We talked about Switzerland because that's where all the watches are made. Yeah. When we retire, well, we'll take a trip to Switzerland. But by the, I guess by the time, and Jack retired at 60, which is a little earlier than most, you know, but it was because, um, we had a cabin in Minnesota that we both love. And so we became, you know, pretty much happy to just go to the lake in May and come back here in September. And then we weren't interested in going south.

Cathy:

Yeah. That would be beautiful.

Christa:

So. Yeah. We still did things together. Oh.

Cathy:

Sure. Well, what was your favorite place to visit? I mean, obviously the lake, but was there any place outside of Minnesota in that lake house that you really loved to visit?

Christa:

In all my life you mean?

Cathy:

Yeah. In all your life.

Christa:

Well, I, yeah. I loved to visit my grandmother on the farm and because, because I was an only child, I got to go real often, you know? And yeah, she had a pony, you know, and she had animals that I love. I was going to the farm and studying for a couple of weeks.

Cathy:

To my listeners, go visit a farm and you helped, you got to help take care of the animals and you got to help do the things on the farm, which is a lot different than living in town.

Christa:

Oh yeah. I love, you know, gather the eggs and washing and make the butter and all the, all the things that you couldn't do in the city. Sure. Sure. Sure. And maybe. If you realize that your mother did those things when she was a young girl, which in my case was true, my mother had lived on a farm as a child, and so, uh, and there were like eight children in the family, so you can imagine, I thought I could imagine. What fun they would have, you know, of course there would be rough times too, I'm sure, but yeah.

Cathy:

Yeah. Oh, wow.

Christa:

I've known a family recently, uh, that still do things together, like, uh, the grandparents have lots of peach trees. I think it's wonderful the way that family, when it's time to can peaches, you know, there are three generations that get together and help.

Cathy:

That's incredible. Incredible. We, um, a couple of years ago, we had a apple cider making at my parents house. They have a cider press and the, so two years ago, the apple trees were all in bloom. So we all, everybody. My sister and her family and my family went back and we had a weekend of picking apples and making apple cider. And that was wonderful. And we wanted to do it again this year, but, oh, we just, we didn't, we, between the soccer schedules with my sister's kids and my kids, there wasn't a weekend that we could do it. And it was. It's kind of sad because it is fun to be able to get together and, and do things like that.

Christa:

I think our young people are, are involved in too many things too young.

Cathy:

Well, that's probably the case. That's probably the case for sure.

Kay:

She needs to share about the motorcycle. You and Jack had motorcycle trips.

Cathy:

Oh my gosh. Fill me in, Christa. When was this? Was this before you had kids or after you had kids?

Christa:

It was before we were married, even. Oh my gosh. He had an aunt and uncle that lived in Omaha. So, and they didn't have any children. And he was their favorite, you know, of the family because he And able to help them when they needed help, you know, physically. Okay, yeah. So we would take off when we were dating. We'd take off for Omaha to spend the weekend with Aunt Mabel and Uncle George. Oh, how fun. Yeah, so. That was fun. I enjoyed motorcycles, though, or he had a motorcycle or how was that? How? Where's the motorcycle coming in? Well, he had it when I met him, you know, it was people around in a car. It was sure. Sure. It was a depression time and you tried to say you want gasoline just like Yeah. They are trying to save on gasoline.

Cathy:

For sure. Yeah.

Christa:

So it was a lot cheaper, you know, to drive back and forth to work on a motorcycle. Sure. Besides, he enjoyed it, you know.

Cathy:

How fun. How fun.

Christa:

Yeah, and, and they had clubs in Des Moines. We belonged to a club, and we'd go to hill climbs, different, uh, social things that we would go together then with all the other people that were riding motorcycle. And you sometimes seen them on the highway.

Cathy:

You were in a biker gang? You're telling me that you were in a biker gang, Christa? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, she does not. I would have not picked her for a biker chick. That's awesome.

Christa:

It was a mixture of some couples were already married. Some were still dating. Oh my gosh, how fun. Yeah, it was fun, yeah. A lot better than going and sitting in a movie, you know, letting somebody else entertain you.

Cathy:

For sure, for sure. Yeah, so what, do you have any advice on, uh, just living life to the fullest and having, and having fun and enjoying life?

Christa:

I wouldn't know how to, how to encourage other people, you know, uh, be resilient maybe, you know. With whoever you want to have fun with, by being reasonable and courteous and loving, you know?

Cathy:

Yeah. You have such an open, open presence, Christa. I mean, and, and curious. I think curious is such a beautiful word to describe you because you're open to experiencing things and to just living life. That's so cool. It's so cool. Thank you. Yeah. So, what person has made the biggest impact on your life? Person or persons?

Christa:

Well, I think teachers, both at church and, and school. You know, the first 20 years of your life, you spend more time with a teacher than you do your parents.

Cathy:

Mm hmm. So true. Uh huh. It's so true.

Christa:

And, uh, I think for me, you know, and I guess I always. Thought that they knew what they were talking about, not that parents don't, but then, um, it was a whole different, a whole different world when you were learning, you know, and uh.

Cathy:

Teachers are wonderful creatures, aren't they? They are. My goodness.

Christa:

That's why I just don't understand the lack of authority and the lack of, what's the word I want? Um, how they can not

Cathy:

Respect, maybe?

Christa:

That's right. The word respect. The lack of respect for teachers and the lack of authority, you know? Yeah. I don't understand that.

Cathy:

I don't either.

Christa:

But I'm glad my children spent that many years of their life with teachers that were trying their very best and wanted the best for them. Yeah. And I don't think

Cathy:

teachers do a wonderful job. Yeah. I think it's, I think it's so hard on them. Like I think it's just, Kay, you know, so I'm also, I'm just going to fill this in that Kay Jensen is also in our conversation and she is a retired teacher. And Kay, I know that you can speak to this too, because you were a teacher that, you know, taught some of these home skills, these home, um, home life skills, because you were an FCS teacher or a family and consumer sciences teacher, if you're not familiar with that. So we have seen this giant shift in the way that we parent kids in the way that kids experience this world. And it is different. It's a big difference. But teachers play such a crucial role in, like you said, raising our kids and in, and doing the hard work for sure.

Kay:

Most kids are great kids and, and with a little bit of love and guidance, they'll do well. Yeah. And when people, you know, start thinking, okay, everything is just going to the dogs. No, not really. It's, it's. It's going to be okay. I think,

Cathy:

I think it absolutely is too. And I think the things that the kids are learning with technology is like mind blowing and the things that they can do. Um, but I think you hit the nail on the head there. Kay. It's, it's like love and leading with love. And sometimes it's easier to put your kid in front of a screen than it is to connect with them. And lead with love. And I think that's what happens a lot today. Mm-Hmm. Um, because that is a whole lot easier, but you're not getting that connection that kind of, like you said, Christa, that you led with, that you really, um, valued with your kids in, in that, spending the time in that just nurturing and guiding them and being available to them. And I think that's hard because society. Promotes a busy lifestyle. And it can be hard to unlearn. It can be hard to unlearn and to learn the slowing down, like we talked about at the beginning of, of our interview today.

Christa:

I remember a lady that came to our community and was a part of our church for a while, who, uh, came from another country. I can't even tell you for sure which country. But, uh, she had never had a job. And she found out, she said, You just don't fit. And to society here, I'm ashamed of the fact that I have not had a job, that I've always stayed home with my children and thought I should, you know, and she said, yeah, it just don't feel a part of she came and worked in our almost free shop volunteer. She said, I've never had a job, this is the only job I've ever had, but I, I feel ashamed when I'm in a bunch of women because everybody's working and talking about their job, you know, so she fell out of step because she didn't.

Cathy:

Yeah. Well, raising kids is definitely a full time job. That's right. Definitely. Right. And it's probably, uh, one of the jobs where you learn the most skills, because you've got to be able to do all the things. For sure. For sure. It's a beautiful job to have. Christa, what do you, what do you want to be remembered for?

Christa:

Because I was considered a friendly, loving, happy person.

Cathy:

I love it. I think you definitely will be remembered for all of those.

And then I got one final question that I ask to everybody who I invite as a guest on to the show. Um, and it is, what are you doing right now in life to bring more intention to your days? So to be more mindful, to be more intentional.

Christa:

Well, to the best of my physical ability, I try to cooperate with my church. And with the organizations that I belong to, I try to be there physically, even though I can't do the same jobs that I did 10 or 20 years ago. But I can still feel the companionship and the love of the people in that group, even though I'm not as active as I was.

Cathy:

Absolutely. And I think having that, that spirit and that belief that you are definitely still valuable, even though you can't do physically all the things your spirit brings so much to each organization or each group or club that you're involved with. And you offer up the wisdom, you have wisdom and insight, and it is so valuable. So. I love that that's, that's a way that you are intentional is to not just give up on life, but to keep living life and keep being a part of it. Trusting that no matter what season of life or what stage of life you are in, you hold value. We hold value no matter what stage. Because you've seen it all, you know there are times when we are busy with kids and chasing after kids, kind of like I am right now. That maybe my responsibilities in some of my other groups and clubs and organizations are not as great because there's a lot of other stuff going on. But that all cycles around and comes back when we get a little bit When we have a shift in our, in our life where we can give a little bit more.

Christa:

That's understandable and true. I think. Yeah. Yeah.

Cathy:

But I think it's so, so appropriate that just because you're living into your hundreds. You haven't given up, you know? You're still going.

Christa:

Oh, thank you. I'm forever doing that. I know. I'll say, you know, well, next year this or next year that. You know, even though I realize next year might not come for me, I'm still always planning what for next year.

Cathy:

That's a great trait. A great trait. I know I didn't get your birthday card this. I'm going to tell this, this little story. I didn't get her birthday card to her last year, um, like on time or near her birthday. And I mentioned that to her one day and she said, well, just keep it and give it to me next year. And so what did I do this year? I sure enough, I gave her that same birthday card that I had purchased last year for her. And I gave it to her and she said, she told me, I didn't even remember that I said that to you. I said, well, you did, you knew you were going to be here. So I kept it because I believed you and here you are.

Christa:

I had forgotten.

Cathy:

I love it. I love it. Okay, Christa, is there anything else you want to share today?

Christa:

Well, you younger people like yourself, you know, even though you're busy, and, and you take part in so many more things than most young people do. And, and you're, you're very valuable to we older people. You know.

Cathy:

Yeah. Brings back memories. You remember how excited our PEO group was when you had your first baby? Yes. Because you were the only person who'd been pregnant for years, you know. Kind of like with garden club too. I was in garden club then at the time as well. And I loved that group and I, Oh, I'm not in garden club anymore, but someday, someday I would love to get back to it. But yes, how fun. And I think, you know, I think that's one of the most important lessons here too, Christa is these multi generational relationships. Do you want to speak to that a little bit?

Christa:

Well, I just think you're, you're right, very much right about that.

Cathy:

It's so important to have them. Because it helps us younger people understand things a little bit more and understand why things maybe are the way they are. And it also allows us to offer up different insight into how things might shift or change or, I don't know. I just love it. I love having friendships that are Not only the people who are my age and I think it's so valuable and we learn so much from younger from older And from women who are the same age as us.

Christa:

I agree with you very much

Cathy:

Okay, Christa. Well, I want to thank you again so much for being here today and Gosh, for spending so much time with me and Kay, I want to thank you also because you, uh, I don't know that this would have been possible without you. So I really, really appreciate it. You do so much and you are such a beautiful light and beautiful soul in this world. Both of you, both of you are. And thank you for sharing all of your, your wisdom, your insight, your talents with us. So many nuggets of wisdom. One of the things I want to point out to you though, is Christa's lighthearted personality and ease with which she approaches life. When we work and try so hard and overthink life to prove that we are enough, we will likely continue to feel like life is heavy and burdensome. And hard, but when we are resilient, adaptable, and curious, we might just end up living a longer life. And this is not to say that there isn't a place for doing the hard things in life and that life is always going to be easy rainbows and unicorns, but mindset plays a huge role in how we take in those hard times. And having a like minded support system, as Krista did and does have with her church family and philanthropic organizations, is definitely an element of success in living in this way. Perhaps it's a coaching group or a close group of friends, but whatever it is, it has to be something that will not only cheer you on, but also show you the icky parts of you, and walk alongside you as you navigate them. This is one of the things I love most about the women in the coaching group I'm a part of. They offer up a safe place for vulnerability so I can get to know my authentic self more and they don't judge me when the ickiness rears its ugly head. And I truly believe that understanding ourselves and our body's innate wisdom better is one of the keys to getting to this place of lighthearted ease in life, of maybe even cultivating greater health, harmony, and happiness in life, if you might say. And that's why it's what I help my clients with every day. Struecker and you've been listening to Health, Harmony, and Happiness with Cathy. Cheers to cultivating a global impact through health, harmony, and happiness.