Erica's home. The dining room will be all but done tonight--not sayin' what time...paint just dries too slowly sometimes. I'm all but ready for Sun meetings, etc. It's my turn on the computer...and I want to start a serious, meaningful discussion. But about what?
If I talk about church stuff, that excludes a couple people who are important. If I talk about politics, that puts off others (and sometimes the same). And I can never remember what the third "No-no topic" is, so I'm out of luck there, too.
So I think I'll talk about genealogy. That's fairly safe, inclusive, serious, and occasionally controversial. Let me begin with a couple parameters. Genealogy = family history = offshoots, such as scrapbooking, journal keeping, record keeping of all sorts. It even includes archeology and anthropology. Some genealogists focus on the famous and/or infamous rather than on their own progenitors. Others are more concerned with descendents. Some want to know only ties with social standing, or make connections that can help them in other ways. Me, I've just always loved genealogy.
My Grandpa Sipe (b. 1884 Cedar Springs, MI) was the one who got me started. He gathered as much info as he could and I "helped" him. That is, I listened to the stories and expanded his work later. He left me neatly typed pages including causes of death--what a great record. I believe he began the attempt to research any inherited connections to the mystery of my brothers who were born with open ventricles in their brains. Grandpa d. 1967, and it wasn't until 1982 or83 that the March of Dimes research figured it out: it was a male-inherited characteristic, so not only could I not pass it on, but he found out nothing as his research was all on my Mom's (his daughter's side). Recently I was at the Dr's office and filled out the new patient paperwork for my husband, so it'd be on file for him when he goes in. I realized I don't know enough of his family history health--but neither does he! I am going to get another blank form next week when I'm in, then come home and call my mother-in-law to get as much as info as possible.
WARNING: This can be rather scarey if you find certain diseases repeated [eg cancer] in several lines /generations. But it is also so very important to have the info. Some things, like diabetes, can be staved off longer, if one is aware. I should have been more aware than I was as both my parents were diagnosed as what was at one time called "borderline" diabetes. Had I paid more attention, perhaps I would not have had so many sugar crashes before it was figured out what was wrong with me. Bloodwork can only show this problem if taken at the right time, or under the right circumstances. So my regular bloodwork did not pick up on it for several years. I had other things going on which complicated the problems of diagnosis, but if I had been more thoughtful, I could have figured it out much sooner and avoided a lot of problems.
So, in sum, health tracking was my first foray into genealogy--but it hasn't stopped there...it has become a real passion for me, and I've made some incredible discoveries in getting to know distant relatives all over the place. I've gotten to know some truly remarkable people, places and events. History really becomes story. Share a favorite from your family history with someone today--better yet, record it in a meaningful way (sharing here would be nice, too.)
3 comments:
My dad has always been the big geneology digger. It's amazing what he has discovered. I think I would enjoy it, but right now I am just trying to keep up with my personal and immediate family history. One reason I have been writing so many farm stories on my blog. Eventually they will be compiled into a personal history. It's fun and I hope some day to do more geneology. :)
i don't really know much about my father's family, but an aunt on my mothers side sent me a whole slew of information dating back to when our family first came over from england, and ireland. i still haven't really looked over it much, but really should.
my grandmother is turning 90 this year, and her 9 living children, along with their spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, etc are putting together pages for a scrapbook for her.
i imagine the next time i go home, and see those pages, i will know more about my family than ever before.
(we did letters to her several years back, and i learned all kinds of things i never knew.)
Julia--keeping up with your immediate familiy's personal history is a daunting task in and of itself. I have REichard's "Been There, Done RThat" Book nearly up to date and am now working on Erica's. (I decided to start from the youngest because I would have quicke results that way!) I have the older kid's stuff gathered. I have my parent's stuff gathered. I have so much I want to do and should do...I don't think I'll ever get it all done. My Patriarchal Blessing indicates that I will live until; my life's work is done--so I think I will live to be very old if this is the measure!
Do try to keep up with what other family members are doing on your lines. It's a great way to get to know extended family, and you may just hold the key that someone else is searching for.
Cara--It sounds so great! I always wanted a big family reunion like that...don't think it'll ever be unless with my own children, but with the way some are getting along lately, my hopes begin to dim some there as well. Be sure that you get a copy of the "scrapbook" being made for your grandmother...everyone should--or at least a copy for each descending line. It's great that your Mom sent you the info she did. Read it--it is part of you. ?you'll probably be amazed at how much "feels" just right. You really need to get some info from your Dad, even if it is just so you have it in case...have him record what he knows: names, dates and places of births, marriages and deaths. It is always more interesting if you have stories to flesh it all out.
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