Learning From Our Family History
by SarahLowe
It is odd, that while we feel such a desire to be connected to our past, we don’t take the time to learn our family history. True, in every family, there is the story of the daughter of the duke that ran away with the stable hand (my apologies to those of you who actually descend from runaway nobility). Most of those types of stories tend to be blips which stand out in our mind like the characters in a romance novel. These rarely mentioned characters pop up from time to time in family conversation but otherwise fade away to the back of our minds, without the hold that real people with real stories have over our hearts.
For most people, there is not time to stop and think; there are the thousands of things which pull at us. But there is something in the culture of being so busy that can make us very alone. To some, getting to know one’s history is a cure.
Many of those who teach the importance of knowing one’s ancestors, to extend beyond the basics of birth and death dates, feel very passionate about it. I myself am one of the impassioned few. Many reasons are given on the benefit of getting to know one’s family, but most of the motivation seems to be focused on research, what to do to push back the family tree a few more generations. There are benefits, however, to go back and look, not as a way to extend the pedigree but for more personal reasons. True, it can be hard enough work trying to keep connected with teenage children, much less chasing after dead uncles. Why then should we take the time to look?
Because family teaches us the basic, fundamental beauty of humanity. There are three things getting to know one’s family teaches us about ourselves. First, it helps us deal with our own challenges; we can pull ourselves so thin at times we forget what it is that holds us together. Tracing the life of an ancestor can teach us a lot about the strength of being human. Second, it teaches us sympathy. We all have a tendency to slowly get impatient, to get busier and to lose a bit of sympathy. When our heart goes out to those who came before us, our heart turns towards those we come in contact with each day.
Third it gives us joy. Laughter has been proven of value by common sense and scientists alike. There is humor inherent in life, there are funny names, hilarious occupations, and stories that make us laugh out loud. These can help to uplift us and give us a perspective on the joy we can find in our own life.
by SarahLowe
It is odd, that while we feel such a desire to be connected to our past, we don’t take the time to learn our family history. True, in every family, there is the story of the daughter of the duke that ran away with the stable hand (my apologies to those of you who actually descend from runaway nobility). Most of those types of stories tend to be blips which stand out in our mind like the characters in a romance novel. These rarely mentioned characters pop up from time to time in family conversation but otherwise fade away to the back of our minds, without the hold that real people with real stories have over our hearts.
For most people, there is not time to stop and think; there are the thousands of things which pull at us. But there is something in the culture of being so busy that can make us very alone. To some, getting to know one’s history is a cure.
Many of those who teach the importance of knowing one’s ancestors, to extend beyond the basics of birth and death dates, feel very passionate about it. I myself am one of the impassioned few. Many reasons are given on the benefit of getting to know one’s family, but most of the motivation seems to be focused on research, what to do to push back the family tree a few more generations. There are benefits, however, to go back and look, not as a way to extend the pedigree but for more personal reasons. True, it can be hard enough work trying to keep connected with teenage children, much less chasing after dead uncles. Why then should we take the time to look?
Because family teaches us the basic, fundamental beauty of humanity. There are three things getting to know one’s family teaches us about ourselves. First, it helps us deal with our own challenges; we can pull ourselves so thin at times we forget what it is that holds us together. Tracing the life of an ancestor can teach us a lot about the strength of being human. Second, it teaches us sympathy. We all have a tendency to slowly get impatient, to get busier and to lose a bit of sympathy. When our heart goes out to those who came before us, our heart turns towards those we come in contact with each day.
Third it gives us joy. Laughter has been proven of value by common sense and scientists alike. There is humor inherent in life, there are funny names, hilarious occupations, and stories that make us laugh out loud. These can help to uplift us and give us a perspective on the joy we can find in our own life.
Knowing your immediate family tree can tell you where you come from, but knowing your extended family tree of aunts, uncles and cousins can inform you of where you can go to possibly know others. Adding your mother's brothers and father's sisters can give you a better idea of your overall family history and can help you remember that you are part of a bigger picture during those times when you forget who you are.
You might think you know the meaning of family only until your little one asks you about it. The family dynamic has changed so drastically over the past few decades that the concept of family is open to greater interpretation. The words you use to describe what family means can either enlighten your child or prejudice him against differences forever.
It wasn't until just recently that it became critically important to me to find out who I'am and where I come from. So my journey started and it was a rough start, but one by one my extended family started showing up everywhere. I was so excited and I wanted to hear every last story I could from each one of them which was turning into a bit of a problem. As as each of us have responsibilities and priorities to tend to through out our day. So starting to feel discouraged and like I was hitting only closed doors every turn I took I said to myself "There has got to be a better more efficient way to of doing this". I wrote down a dozen or so option B, C, D plans on how I was going to manage to get as much information from as many relatives as possible in a relatively short period of time. This is when the idea to build a website made just for the family came to mind and was born. My purpose behind this website is to provide all future generations with as much detail and information on all of the generations before them. My goal is to have each member of this family document a few of their fondest memories and what it was like to be a child growing up. I have so much pride and honor towards my family and that is not only towards my immediate family, my extended family is also included. I want my son's kids kids to know all about each and every single one of their ancestors and how they contributed to the world.
So please if you have some historic archives of the past weather it be photos or stories or even videos then please share them by attaching them to your name under your individual tab and leave your mark in this world for future generations to see.
You might think you know the meaning of family only until your little one asks you about it. The family dynamic has changed so drastically over the past few decades that the concept of family is open to greater interpretation. The words you use to describe what family means can either enlighten your child or prejudice him against differences forever.
It wasn't until just recently that it became critically important to me to find out who I'am and where I come from. So my journey started and it was a rough start, but one by one my extended family started showing up everywhere. I was so excited and I wanted to hear every last story I could from each one of them which was turning into a bit of a problem. As as each of us have responsibilities and priorities to tend to through out our day. So starting to feel discouraged and like I was hitting only closed doors every turn I took I said to myself "There has got to be a better more efficient way to of doing this". I wrote down a dozen or so option B, C, D plans on how I was going to manage to get as much information from as many relatives as possible in a relatively short period of time. This is when the idea to build a website made just for the family came to mind and was born. My purpose behind this website is to provide all future generations with as much detail and information on all of the generations before them. My goal is to have each member of this family document a few of their fondest memories and what it was like to be a child growing up. I have so much pride and honor towards my family and that is not only towards my immediate family, my extended family is also included. I want my son's kids kids to know all about each and every single one of their ancestors and how they contributed to the world.
So please if you have some historic archives of the past weather it be photos or stories or even videos then please share them by attaching them to your name under your individual tab and leave your mark in this world for future generations to see.