There’s a feeling the excitement of making connections with previously unknown relations through the Internet.
This is where I look at the objective, large-scale aspects of my history, like family names and lines that go back for generations (in some cases, before Canada was founded), and place names that resonate in other people’s histories.
Growing up, I felt disconnected from my family. Moments of closeness and bonding seemed few and far between. I became convinced that every other family was more happy, more united, and more balanced than mine. (This of course is not true, but old childhood feelings can be hard to shake.)
Developing the genealogical side of my life story has helped me learn some important things.
I’ve learned:
- How to connect lore to facts, to become an amateur sleuth and to look for facts and evidence wherever I can.
- To appreciate the size of my family. That can include redefining what the word family means to me. It also brings a stronger, more real connection to my family lineage and added family pride.
- To appreciate the accomplishments and qualities of my predecessors. Learning even a few facts and stories about grandparents, great uncles, aunts, and cousins can bring them back to life for me.
- Every family suffers. Some can grow closer and some fall apart. The universe may be indifferent, but people need not be.
