Spreading Gratitude is the Key.
Being Kind is the Way.
Life is really about people—family, friends, and the relationships we build along the way. This is a little about my journey, the things I have learned, and why I believe people need to know they are remembered and appreciated.
A Little About Me
I grew up a country boy. My early years were spent on a farm in Hatton, Utah, between Meadow and Kanosh. There were animals, horses, chores, family, school, church, and plenty of opportunities to learn how to work.
I certainly didn't know where life would eventually take me.
Looking back, I can see that many of the things I value today began during those simple years: family, faith, hard work, friendship, gratitude—and remembering where you came from.
Family Is Everything
Of everything I have accomplished in my life, nothing means more to me than my family.
Melinda and I have shared a lot of years together. We have raised our family, watched our children build lives of their own, welcomed grandchildren, and made more memories than I could ever count.
There have been wonderful times and there have been hard times. Through all of them, family has remained at the center of my life.
As the years go by, I appreciate these relationships more than ever.
Quite A Journey
I sometimes look back and wonder where all the years went.
I have been a farm boy, missionary, husband, father, businessman, church and community volunteer, grandfather, motorcycle rider—and now, believe it or not, a beginning piano player.
Each part of my life has brought different people into it.
Some stayed for many years. Some were there for only a short season. But many of them left something with me.
One lesson I have learned is that relationships need attention.
It is very easy to think about someone and never tell them.
A Little Adventure Along The Way
I have always believed there ought to be a little adventure in life.
For me, some of that adventure came on two wheels.
Motorcycle trips gave Melinda and me opportunities to see some beautiful country, meet interesting people, and create memories together.
There is something about being out on the road that reminds you just how big and beautiful this world really is.
Still Learning
One thing I don't believe in is deciding that you are too old to learn something new.
So I'm learning to play the piano.
I'm not ready for Carnegie Hall!
But that's not really the point.
The point is to keep learning, keep trying, stay curious, and enjoy the journey.
There are still things I want to learn. There are still places I want to go. There are still memories I want to make.
And there are still people I want to encourage.
Gratitude Matters
Over the years I have become convinced of something very simple:
Gratitude matters.
We often think good things about people without ever telling them.
We think about an old friend.
We appreciate something someone did.
We remember a birthday.
We hear that somebody is struggling.
We think, I ought to call them.
And then life gets busy.
I have tried to become better at acting on those little promptings.
Sometimes a telephone call is enough. Sometimes it is a visit.
Sometimes it is a simple card in the mail.
The important thing isn't the card.
The important thing is the person.
Why Promptings
That's one reason Promptings became meaningful to me.
It gives me a simple way to do something when I have that thought:
I ought to let that person know I'm thinking about them.
I use it to stay connected with family, friends, clients, and people
who have crossed my path through the years.
It isn't complicated.
It's simply one of the tools I use to turn a good intention into an action.
Keeping In Touch
As the years go by, I appreciate more than ever the people who have been part of my life.
Family. Friends. People I have worked with, served with, learned from, and met along the way.
I hope this website helps me stay connected with those people—
and perhaps reconnect with a few I haven't heard from for a while.
Spreading Gratitude is the Key.
Being Kind is the Way!
— Ted Whitaker