enealogy is one of the biggest hobbys in the world.
It is Amazing, Beautiful, Connective, Daring, Exciting, Freaky, Groovy, Healthy, Interesting, Joyful, Kinsolving, Lengthy, Messy, Newsworthy, Original, Playful, Queer, Raunchy, Sexy, Tough, Unique, Valuable, Weird, Xotic, Youthful, and Zippy.
If that doesn't convince you of its value then let the words of Alex Haley give you something to think about:
"Each individual ancestral relative previously unknown and genealogically discovered is its own special thrill! No less thrilling is the discovery of records rich with information, which would have remained untouched, which would never have come to light, unless you had gotten caught up in the multiple, magnetic lures of genealogy.
Young and old alike find that knowing one's roots, and thus coming better to know who one is, provides a personally rewarding experience. But even more is involved than uncovering a family history, for each discovered United States family history becomes a newly revealed small piece of American history. Stated simply: a nation's history is only the selective histories of all of its people. It is only through an unfolding of the people's histories that a nation's culture can be studied in its fullest meaning."
He has a few more things of interest to say on the subject, here.
Genealogy is the discovery of all of the ordinary people in the long lineage of our ancestry.
But people still ask us why we do it?
Why do we want to know all this long forgotten minutia about people, most of who we never knew?
Janet Hovorka, The Chart Chick, recently mulled over this question, coming up with a short list:
"Connectedness/You aren't alone
Inspiring Descendants
Finding Yourself
Healing (Physical and Spiritual)
Working With Nice People
Serendipity"
She then lists a collection of links to other sites that have their own answers to the question.
In my Archive of Genealogy Posts I've written about the How and Why of my becoming the Family Roots Digger-upper, and shared some of my poetry, family history, roadblocks, and success stories, including pictures (With 2 great new success stories, thus explaining what I've been up to, the last week, since my last post. Here, and Here.).
Genealogy doesn't always lead to the discovery of a room full of the rich and famous.
If you are expecting to add a President, King, or Queen so as to impress the neighbors, then you are setting yourself up for potential disappointment.
That is not the only, nor the best, reason for researching the past and seeing what your ancestors were up to.
In 1997 Bill Merklee asked a question on the Roots-L Mailing List on Rootsweb: Why do you do Genealogy?
He was so impressed with the answers his question received that he made a speciall page to share 47 of them.
As he wrote: "The answers are funny, sad, touching, insightful, inspiring, sometimes similar but always unique -- not unlike the people you find in your family tree."
Genealogy often will lead you to many puzzles, mysteries, shameful secrets, and whole herds of Black Sheep.
Many people prefer to let such things stay hidden, but there is no shame in laying claim to your past, studying it, and learning about, and from, it.
it is just as important to take an interest in the good side as the bad.
Why? Because it's in your Jeans Genes that's why! ;-D
I didn't become interested in my Family History until I was 27 years old, in 1987, and my parents were gone 3 years later (Granny, and an Aunt and Uncle were long gone), and I regret not documenting old stories to this day.
If you have a child showing an interest in stories you, or your parents, tell...ecourage that interest!
Here are some great places to start, related to Genealogy and Family History (For you adults reading this please check out my extensive collection of Genealogy Links in the sidebar):
Cyndi's List - Kids and Teens.
Genwriters.com - Genealogy and Family History for Children.
Family Tree Magazine - Junior Genealogists.
Genealogy Spot - Genealogy for Kids: Turn kids into Family History Detectives.
About.com: Genealogy - Genealogy for Children: Teaching Kids to Be Ancestor Detectors, and Genealogy for Children.
Kids' Turn Central - Genealogy for Kids.
Here is a list of Kid-centric Genealogy and History Websites.
In the title to this post I indicate that I was channeling John Lennon...
Give Genealogy a Chance
(With sincere apologies to John Lennon.) ;-D
Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents
This family, that family, family family family
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance
(C'mon)
Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
Ministers, Shysters, Baristers and Hucksters,
Bishops, Priests, Rabbis, and Imams, Oh my, Should I claim these guys?
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance
(Let me tell you now)
Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
Revolution, Medical Solution, Dissertation, Fulmination, Plantation,
Immigration, many nations, assimilation, congratulations
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance
Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
Jack and Jill, THE O'Leary, Rosemary,
Tommy's brothers, the family villian, and one who invented the pooper scooper,
English Tailor, Norman Invader, Alan the Pious, Mad Macedonian
Mad Mad Macedonian
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance
This post is dedicated to all my fellow researchers who are bedevelled by friends, and family who do not understand, may not approve, and constantly ask you why, why WHY???
Copyright 2008.
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