In a message dated 7/20/01 5:05:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Firehair2 writes: > Subj: The Genealogist > Date: 7/20/01 5:05:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time > > Seems the arrival of my book in mail boxes across the country inspired 4 > folks to send this to me with the identical comment: "This is YOU"--- > with my thanks, -------------I say, it's all of us who do this. > > Sheila/ Firehair > > > >> The Genealogist >> >> 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 feel >> 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 : Tell >> our story. So, we do. >> >> In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. >> How many graves have I stood before now and >> cried? I've 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 they fought to make and >> keep us a Nation. It goes to a deep and immense >> understanding --- 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 all those ----young and old--- to step up and >> put flesh on the bones. >> >> ( Unknown Author ) >> >> >> >> >> >> > > > "What you accept, you teach----the choices you make dictate the life you --those you impact----lead" http://www.rit.edu/~rbbetc/index.htm This is a subscribed/requested mailing by the participants, not Spam mail under AOL TOS. If you wish to be added/removed, please notify [email protected], you'll be deleted/added immediately. I'm not responsible for the forwarding of email I send to others who aren't subscribers/requesters. This letter isn't Spam as long as a Remove Link is included.

Hi friends My father is celebrating his 75th birthday and I am looking for a poem to give him for his birthday. It was a poem about a fathers name. If I remember it was along the lines of it was only his gift to give... to protect it for he gave it to you untarnished ... etc, etc something like that. I know it's somewhat vague but perhaps someone is familiar with it or something similar. If you would, please post it to the list as I am sure others would enjoy it as well. Thank you Anthony Tormey Cross postings to Penn, Susq, and Rockland