Tuesday, July 26, 2011

What is my Family Jungle and why should I start one?

I began working on my genealogy many years ago when I was putting together a memory book for my sister's Confirmation. I thought it would be nice to have some family history at the beginning of this scrapbook so I started asking questions.  I was so surprised by how much information I didn't know about my family that was so readily available.  I was amazed by the photographs that were packed away of ancestors I never knew anything about...and I was fascinated.  Who were these people? What were their lives like? I discovered things that inspired and puzzled me.  I also discovered that this family tree could quickly grow into something more complicated...it was a jungle out there!

Genealogy gave me a stronger sense of self; who I am and where I came from.  It is beautiful to see the sacrifices that our ancestors made that have led us to to the lives we now lead. You can also find the mistakes they made that we hopefully learn from. It is a journey that will take you on ups and downs and what may seem like dead ends and wild goose chases, but in the end, you will be amazed and maybe even learn more about yourself and your family members.  I encourage you to open yourself to the possibilities and start trudging through the jungle that is your family!

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