Hello all. I'm forwarding this from the Surrey List. I feel that the sentiments expressed are universal for those researching their family history. Donna King List Owner Tolpuddle/Cannell Mailing Lists deking@rogers.com LOVELESS/LOVELACE GENEALOGY PAGE - UNITED KINGDOM/CANADA/AUSTRALIA http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~martyrs Donna's Genealogy Page http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Park/3288 We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors...but they all have to learn to live in the same box. > > WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO!! > > > > > > The Story Tellers > > > We are the chosen. My feelings are that 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 storytellers 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 for > me there? I cannot say. > > > > It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who I am and why 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 bones, 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 a 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. > > > > (Author - unknown.) > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "MSKelleher" <kelleher@nex.net.au> > To: <ENG-SURREY-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Friday, March 19, 2004 11:04 PM > Subject: [SRY] Ancestor poem > > > Can anyone do better than this > > You are my Ancestor > > As I stand, gazing at your crumbling tomb, > that is, amidst so many more of long ago > Your name engraved in marbled stone is barely seen /visible, > but yet it reaches out to those who care, > > You are mine, > I have found you > I feel you presence near, > I feel you in my bones. > Your blood is my blood, your cells are my cells, > And > each of us are part of you. > Your spirit lives in my heart and soul. > > I wonder if you'd ever dreamt that someday > I would find this spot, and stand and pray > And how I'd feel today as I touch this weathered stone > > I, who would have loved you so, > know it is to late to mourn. > as you have lived so many years ago > > I know who you are, and where you were born > Who you loved and when you married. > I've often wondered how you lived and died, > > You would never have known that I would live, > To see your grave and sigh > for you and yours had died long before I was here today. > > We, your family who now live, > know that you would be proud today to now there is > one of us that is called to tell the family story and make us live again, > and to know that you'd approve > > > ==== ENG-SURREY Mailing List ==== > Contact List Admin by email at ENG-SURREY-admin@rootsweb.com > How to subscribe, unsubscribe and use the list archives > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/ENG/ENG-SURREY.html > > > ==== ENG-SURREY Mailing List ==== > West Surrey FHS website : http://www.wsfhs.org/ > East Surrey FHS website : http://www.eastsurreyfhs.org.uk/ >