BY BONNIE LEE STRUNK

Special to The Press

All my deceased friends and family members are very much alive in my house.

No, I don’t have ghosts. But I do have personal mementos in every room that bring these loved ones close and spark warm memories of our time together.

My living room, for example, contains a great aunt’s oil painting, needlework by another great aunt and my grandmother, a wooden bird carved by a friend, an afghan by my late best friend, great music created by another friend, and many more items that trigger pleasant remembrances.

My best friend and her husband were both expert craftsmen who have a presence in every room.

I cannot count the beautiful creations they bestowed upon me over the 50-plus years of our friendship.

I miss these dear friends, and seeing the personal gifts they spent hours making for me always brings a smile and makes me feel surrounded by love.

Some of my favorite recipes are from a late aunt, and I think of her and the fun we had together every time I bake one of her special treats.

At Christmas, I decorate with intricate handmade ornaments and gifts from a multitude of talented friends and relatives.

I feel blessed to have these physical remembrances from so many loved ones now gone from this earth.

But even more important, I have within me the influence these folks had on me. They not only impacted my life, they helped to shape the person I ultimately became.

Special people help to mold us, even if we don’t realize it at the time.

Be it our values or hobbies or love of reading or music, chances are good that someone in our past has played a role in who we are today.

I know I am an avid nature lover because my late mother taught us kids to appreciate every aspect of the great outdoors.

We grew up in the country and were rarely in the house. Even though I live in the city today, I brought my country mentality with me and have created a certified backyard wildlife habitat in my small yard.

My favorite animals are the wild ones, and my favorite pastimes include hiking in the woods and photographing nature. My head is usually somewhere in the clouds, as my companions can attest.

My love of cooking and baking came from my grandmother and an aunt.

My love of reading came from a great aunt who was a schoolteacher and gave me books.

Through their lasting influence, these departed loved ones continue to live in me. When I think about them and how they helped to shape me, I sometimes wonder what lasting impression I will be leaving on others.

Some people strive to leave behind a lot of money. Others prefer to leave something of greater value.

I fall into the latter group. My deeds and words, orally and in my published work, will, I hope, awaken in others a respect for our environment and the precious creatures who share our earth.

I know when I am gone some people will think of me whenever they see a squirrel, my favorite animal.

How we are remembered when we take that inevitable journey and leave this earth will depend on how memorable we are while we are still here.

Continuing to influence others after we are gone is an easy way for us to achieve immortality.