The rules of this award specify to list ten things I've learned about my ancestors that have surprised, humbled, or enlightened me. As the recipient I am to pass the award along to ten other genealogy bloggers that I feel are also deserving of it!
I must admit I was surprised to receive this award, but I am honored. Let's see - surprised, humbled or enlightened me... Researching my family tree has taught me so much, both the process and the people, both dead & alive, so where do I start?
I guess I'll start with surprised... It surprised me at how early my ancestors came here to this country - I figured we had been around for a while but never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that my ancestors were here before the Revolutionary War. It surprised me that many of my ancestors were of English heritage. I always knew about the German side but the English? I had no clue. With all the German names it just never crossed my mind.
Humbled me - I was humbled when I did some research on the average ships passage conditions & the conditions here when they arrived and I realized just how badly they wanted to live in our great land! It certainly makes me think before I complain about any of the living conditions in my home today. So many things we take for granted would astonish our ancestors. A day of housework today is nothing compared to the average day of housework done by my ancestors!
Enlightened me? Yes, it has enlightened me - about history, about life and about relationships both good & bad. I thought I did so well in my history studies in school, but I really didn't learn history until I learned about the roles my ancestors played in that history. I learned alot about life researching my ancestors when I see families who lost babies before they even got to name them, when children were put in county homes because parents couldn't take care of them. Yes, my ancestors taught me alot, and they keep teaching me. I learn something from them & about them on a regular basis. Relationships - I've learned alot about relationships from doing genealogy & my ancestors as well. I've learned that things may not be all they seem to be - and that protecting their families & themselves were the things that mattered most.
Most of all my ancestors have taught me its okay to be me, its okay to do what is right for me - they've taught me to love, laugh and enjoy my life and the people in my life.
I'm supposed to pass this along to ten other bloggers who I feel are deserving of this award... This is tough because I don't follow too many blogs... Forgive me if I don't do ten...
1. James over at Genealogy's Star
2. Anne over at Gene Notes
3. Dave over at Tree Rings
4. Linda at Documenting Details
2 comments:
The enlightenment of which you speak? That's why Henry Ford thought that history, as taught in schools, was "bunk!" History is ten times more real and relevant when we learn how real people lived and worked! Can you tell I work at a museum?
(Anne's MUCH younger sister)
Congratulations on your award. From your post I can't tell how long you've been working on your family history or blogging but it seems like you've learned some important things. Again, congrats!
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