>>That was beautiful and eloquent. Thanks for sharing.<< Kath Thanks, I love it, too. Someone shared it with me, so I always pass it on. Sarah ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sarah" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 7:50 PM Subject: 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. > > [Author Unknown]