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From: "Ann Spiro" <>
Subject: Re: [IoW] Why we do our genealogy
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2003 11:00:44 +0800
References: <5.0.2.1.0.20030425235251.00a950c0@pop3.giant.net.au>


Good for you David!
I am often asked "why bother" and "what are you goining to do with the
information anyway".

I enjoy the history (and geography)that goes along with the family research.
Like many others who are delving - I wish I had a time machine and could go
back and have a look at how things really were.

Cheers

Ann
See my surname interests at http://www.wags.org.au/mid/1288.htm


----- Original Message -----
From: "David Collyer" <>
To: <>
Sent: Friday, April 25, 2003 9:54 PM
Subject: [IoW] Why we do our genealogy


> 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 ones and make
> them live again, to tell the family story and to feel that omehow 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 mny 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. ( Unknown Author )
> David in Ballarat
>
>


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