Turn The Page
"Every Flip of the Page of My Calendar Brings Me Closer to the End of the Book."
It reminds me that this journey isn't forever. Someday I'm leaving here. For something better but still, there are things that I will miss.
In preparation for this event, I have been collecting things to leave to my loved ones. I have them in a box, a big box, with their name on the items. I think though, that the most important thing I can leave them is the gift of their heritage.
I came from a very large family on my mom's side. She had 12 brothers and sisters and a family tree worthy of a movie of the week. I have discovered that George Soule, who was one of the Mayflower travelers, was a relation by marriage. That branch of the tree settled the east coast of America and owned much of the property from New York to Virginia. Chevy Chase, Maryland, was owned by a relation who named it, but the property was later used as payment for a gambling debt. Damn. Several of my ancestors fought in the Revolution as well as the Civil War. Priests, Irish and Scottish Lords as well as English gentlemen, sheriff, and wealthy landowners, slaves who were used by my relatives that owned them, are in my DNA.
I had no idea. We didn't really talk about that kind of stuff on either side of the family. I grew up believing that I was of Hungarian descent on my dad's side and German on my mom's. No mention of the heroes and patriots and no stories about the people who make up part of who I am.
During a reading with Myrna, before I was able to contact the other side myself, I was contacted by many female relations who asked me to write their stories. They were not able to freely write like I am, but their sacrifices enabled me to be able to be their voice.
I will honor them and tell their stories before I leave this world. I will try to complete my family tree to be as accurate as I am able without much documentation. These are the important things in life. I am so proud now knowing that my relations were involved in not only settling this country but defending it for me. They wanted their descendants to benefit from their sacrifice.
I want my descendants to know where they came from in this carnation. Our soul has a story but so does our human-ness.
Instead of giving "gifts" for presents, take the time to do the research on your family. It isn't that hard and you get what you put into it. Someday your family members will appreciate knowing where they came from. I know I would've had a better feeling about who I was in my life, had I known some of the facts I have discovered.
I had no idea. We didn't really talk about that kind of stuff on either side of the family. I grew up believing that I was of Hungarian descent on my dad's side and German on my mom's. No mention of the heroes and patriots and no stories about the people who make up part of who I am.
During a reading with Myrna, before I was able to contact the other side myself, I was contacted by many female relations who asked me to write their stories. They were not able to freely write like I am, but their sacrifices enabled me to be able to be their voice.
I will honor them and tell their stories before I leave this world. I will try to complete my family tree to be as accurate as I am able without much documentation. These are the important things in life. I am so proud now knowing that my relations were involved in not only settling this country but defending it for me. They wanted their descendants to benefit from their sacrifice.
I want my descendants to know where they came from in this carnation. Our soul has a story but so does our human-ness.
Instead of giving "gifts" for presents, take the time to do the research on your family. It isn't that hard and you get what you put into it. Someday your family members will appreciate knowing where they came from. I know I would've had a better feeling about who I was in my life, had I known some of the facts I have discovered.
Ralph Waldo Emerson stated, "The apple doesn't fall far from the stem." We now say tree. I want to know about the tree that I fell from.