Letting Go, Holding On: Selling the Mineral Rights My Grandparents Gave Me

Some inheritances come in the form of jewelry or letters. Mine came beneath the surface of the earth — mineral rights passed down from my grandparents. On paper, it may have seemed like just a legal asset. But to me, it was a piece of my family’s story, tied to memories of dusty roads, old photographs, and the quiet strength of the people who came before me.

When my grandparents gifted me those rights, they were passing down more than property. They were giving me a part of their legacy — something they had held onto through decades of change and challenge. For years, I kept those rights untouched, not out of hesitation, but out of reverence. It felt like a connection I didn’t want to disturb.

But life, as it often does, brought new needs and new perspectives.

After much reflection, I made the decision to sell. It wasn’t a decision made lightly. In fact, it was emotional — like packing away a chapter of my family’s history. But what surprised me was how deeply the sale ended up honoring their gift. The financial security it’s provided has come at the exact right moment in my life. It’s helped with immediate needs, future planning, and opened up possibilities I hadn’t thought were within reach.

I’ve realized that holding on to their memory doesn’t mean holding on to every asset unchanged. My grandparents didn’t give me those rights just so I could file them away. They gave them to me so I could use them when I needed them most. And I have. With deep gratitude.

Selling those mineral rights was never about letting go — it was about carrying forward their generosity, their foresight, and their belief in the future of their family.

Their legacy lives on. Not just in what they left behind, but in how I choose to move forward with it.