“If we were all exactly the same, the world would be so boring, so you can’t be. The sooner they [people] get that message, the better off we’ll all be, right?” Clarkston resident Kathleen Russell said when asked about the things she’s learned throughout her life.
Russell shared the importance of patience, listening to both sides of the story, and respecting others the way they are, saying, “The world would be so much better off if everyone understood that we’re all different and have different perspectives.”
Russell spreads the message that everyone should be themselves uniquely and originally; you should never have to change yourself for the amusement of others, and you have to be careful not to lose yourself. Every soul is beautiful and shouldn’t go to waste trying to change to be just like everyone else. Every passing person has a complex personality and mindset that never stops, and that makes you who you are. If you’re not reflecting your own true self, you have the risk of losing your spirit.
Russell expressed that you don’t need everyone to know your story when your time comes to an end, only the people who know and love you. “I would like to be remembered as a good mom, a good wife, and someone that’s contributing and offers for the community,” Russell explained. You can tell that she wants to be remembered as a loving person with a warm heart for the people around her.
Russell has 3 children, ages 34, 33, and 29. Her proudest accomplishment in life is establishing a comforting relationship with her family and introducing new life to our world, the life that so many people aspire to live happily. “I’m just glad I was able to do that, you know, to have a family, to be somebody’s mother. We still hang out, and are close, and I’m so grateful for that.”
Your impact on the people around you deeply shows your soul as a person. Memories you don’t even recall can be a core memory to someone else. A small gesture can stick with someone their whole life. Russell spent her early years in the vibrant city of the Flint-Mount Morris area.
She spent her childhood with friends, riding the bus downtown at 13 years old, living free. Staying in-state for college, Russell decided to study at Western Michigan and from then moved on to our calm community in Clarkston.
In Russell’s free time, she finds peace in reading books and gardening. “I have a really small garden, but I love to garden and do that kind of stuff,” Russell explained. “I really love to read as well. I think reading is really important. I always have at least a couple of books I’m reading.” In the early mornings, she looks forward to going on a brisk walk to Honcho for some coffee, enjoying the beauty of nature and the sounds of the birds.
