Last Photograph, but Legacy Lives On

My grandmother and children connect in what will be their last photograph together. Betty Jean Cowley lived 96.5 years teaching me some of the biggest lessons in positive psychology – holding gratitude always, lifelong love of learning, engaging in flow as a motherhood well-being strategy, how holding hands with your partner can transform your relationship, and unconditional love and acceptance. She shared these lessons with her five children (pictured on the wall in the photograph with my dad as the center), 17 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren (with one on the way). Today, the lessons from her life anchor what I’ve learned from MAPP about living and applying positive psychology as I raise my children in hope that these elements can infuse their lives, our family system, and the world. “And the Beat Goes On…”