Genealogy Chat

I posted this on the general board, but thought someone here might like it too. I can't remember where I got this from, but I have it in a frame on my desk. See below in a moment.

The Story Tellers We are the chosen. My feelings are that in each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors. To put flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the family story and to feel that, somehow, they know and approve. To me, doing genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts but, instead, breathing life into all who have gone before. We are the storytellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We have been called, as it were, by our genes. Those who have gone before cry out to us 'Tell our story'. So, we do. In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. How many graves have I stood before now, and cried? I have lost count. How many times have I told the ancestors 'You have a wonderful family, you would be proud of us'? How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt, somehow, there was love for me there? I cannot say. It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who I am and why I do the things I do. It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds, and indifference, and saying 'I can't let this happen'. The bones here are bones of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. It goes to doing something about it. It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving in, or giving up. Their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family. It goes to a deep pride that they fought to make, and keep us, a Nation. It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us. That we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do, with love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are them and they are us. So, as a scribe called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take their place in the long line of family storytellers. That is why I do my family genealogy, and that is what calls those, young and old, to step up and put flesh on the bones. (Author - unknown.)

I really like this as well and used to have it in a frame on my wall with all the photos of my ancestors.Thanks for reminding me about it.

Nice one Teresa, thankyou. I had it and lost it so now I have copied and pasted. Janet