> The Story Tellers... > > We are the chosen. > > My feelings are 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 story tellers 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 there for > me? I cannot say. > > It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who am I and why do 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 bone 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 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. > > Unknown > > "Genealogy is like playing: they hide . I seek!!!" > > > ==== NORCAL Mailing List ==== > To contact Yvonne Bowers, Listmom, send email to <yvonne@sonic.net> >

Thank you for that! It's beautiful. Fran I used to think I was indecisive....Now, I'm not so sure... ----- Original Message ----- From: "roland elliott" <rolandelliott@inreach.com> To: <ELLIOTT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2001 1:11 PM Subject: [ELLIOTT] The Story Tellers > > > > > The Story Tellers... > > > > We are the chosen. > > > > My feelings are 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 story tellers > 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 there > for > > me? I cannot say. > > > > It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who am I and why do 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 bone 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 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. > > > > Unknown > > > > "Genealogy is like playing: they hide . I seek!!!" > > > > > > ==== NORCAL Mailing List ==== > > To contact Yvonne Bowers, Listmom, send email to <yvonne@sonic.net> > > > > > ==== ELLIOTT Mailing List ==== > Rootsweb Surname Resource Board: > http://resources.rootsweb.com/surnames/e/l/ELLIOTT/ >