That was great - thanks for sharing it! What we do is so much more important than just collecting names and dates. Pat S Larry or Donna Hall wrote: > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2000 12:10 PM > Subject: Why We Do It > > > ((Forward= Please do not reply)) > > Subj: Why We Do It From: [email protected] > > I received this today from a cousin that I have not yet met. I know that > all > > of you can relate to this. Pat C. Johns > > > > WHY WE DO IT > > > > Today I want to describe for you what finding our ancestors in terms of > being > > one of the major reasons why I do what I do these days on the Internet, > for > > myself, for my children and grandchildren and for others....and I have an > > idea, that similar circumstances are the reason many researchers are > involved > > as well. I think more than a few of you will identify with my thoughts and > > motivations here... > > > > I loved that old homeplace dearly, as many of you loved a similar place > that > > now exists only in your minds and hearts. I frequently "walk" through it, > > escaping todays to yesterdays and memories, willing myself to remember the > > touch of fabric, the coolness of hardwood floors on my barefeet, the > weight > > of a fat white china cup in my hands, the way the afternoon sun slanted > and > > cast shadows on the floor of a long front porch. Those memories are a > comfort > > to me, because beyond the "things" I have that were there, they are all I > > have left of the place I knew. I know that many of you feel the same, and > > have another place you "walk" for comfort at times. > > > > But those memories I have, and you have, will be gone all too soon, > leaving > > this world at the same time that we do...just as the memories of our > > grandfathers and great-grandmothers left with them, and unless they are > given > > and passed on, it is as if those things had never been other than what > > "facts" are left behind on scraps of paper. > > > > This came to me in a very real way recently when the daughter of my first > > cousin (who is now gone to the next world) contacted me. A young mother, > the > > family's heritage is beginning to be of importance to her. And she asked > for > > my memories, the memories her mother died before she could pass on...and > so I > > have begun to write them for her and to give her what I cannot leave in > any > > tangible form other than description. I have walked her through the family > > homeplace willing her to see through my eyes, and I have introduced her to > > the great-grandfather she never knew, trying to give her a balanced > picture > > of him, the good and the bad, making him human and of breathing living > flesh > > for her. > > > > For the same reason, documenting the family line in that country is also > > important. I want to know who the grandparents of my grandfather were, > > because I have no memories of him telling me about them. I know he must > have > > treasured memories of those who lived in his time, and I know he must have > > treasured the stories that he heard of those who did not. Because it was > > important to him, and knowing him, I know it is important to me. My > > grandfather was of another world and time, as many of yours were. And in > that > > day and time, the passing on of roots came through the oral tradition. > They > > little understood that the coming ways of this world would > > leave little inclination or time for oral passing of roots...and that > unless > > a generation following them had the wisdom to record it, all was lost. > > > > I rue that I was young when he sat so long talking his long tales of "who > > beget who" and of things that had happened, where they happened, and those > > who peopled those stories. I am frustrated that I, as did his children, > > "tuned" much of this out. It is not just a matter of "proving" a > > lineage...much, much more, it is a matter of salvaging that which was > > important to one I loved...and giving it to those like my cousin's > children > > and my own children.... passing on the things that were of importance in > an > > endless chain of loving memories. I cannot turn back the clock, and I > cannot > > make my grandfather be here again with me at a time in which I am ready > > and mature enough now to listen to his endless stories that wound on hour > > after hour....but I still draw breath, and I can piece together what I can > > find, add to that what I do remember...and give the next generation > something > > far more precious than the money. > > > > We no longer have our Murphy or Howard or Dodd or Greathouse homes in > > Alabama, and even some of the family burial grounds where my great > > grandfather, great great grandfather and possibly before that are buried, > > have been taken from us. All we have is our history....and so you see why > it > > is important beyond description that we preserve our history. It is all we > > have left of our roots. And I suspect that many of you, if for whatever > > reason your ancestral lands and homeplace are gone, feel the same. > > > > Please remember this when others contact you. Their reasons may have > nothing > > to do with wanting to join an elite organization, may have nothing to do > with > > idle curiosity, may have nothing to do with simple scholarship and an > abiding > > love of research....more often, I am finding, it is a situation in which > > family history is an anchor to hold to in this fast-paced and all too > > impersonal world. It is a situation in which all the heritage or "home" a > > family has left is its history. It is a situation in which a person > regrets > > not finding important those things elders talked of at the time they > talked > > of them, and with maturity wants to salvage what they can of the memories > of > > elders who went on before them.Your words and help are often far more > > important than you can possibly realize, and will cause a heart to leap, > > bring tears to an eye in gratitude. > > > > In other words, it is often a matter of the "heart" and any small tidbit > or > > fact, any direction you can find time to give, is more meaningful than > gold > > to that person who longs so desperately to find his or her humble link in > a > > long chain...and pass it on, giving the generation to come roots and a > sense > > of belonging in a world that is uncertain. "...and departing leave behind > us, > > footprints in the sands of time." > > > > Pat Dodd Greathouse > > > > ==== SCCOLLET Mailing List ==== > Visit http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/4197/colleton.html > Colleton Co SCGenWeb > > ============================== > Personalized Mailing Lists: never miss a connection again. > http://pml.rootsweb.com/ > Brought to you by RootsWeb.com.