Day 17 - A Day in History

Day 17: A Day in History, January 17, 2020

hmmm, a day in history - this topic ought to be an easy one for me since I love doing genealogy and walking with my ancestors. 

Since I began my journey of genealogy, I have learned a great deal of history pertaining to my family lines. Both on my maternal lines and my paternal lines. 

My journey began in the '90s trying to learn of my birth father and his family. I always knew that I was adopted by the man my mother was married to but didn't know anything else. 

In 2001 my daughter needed a baby photo of me for a school project - it was that very day that changed the course of my future where my paternal lines were concerned. On the back of the photograph (which is posted here), there was an inscription, "here's the baby" with a lady's name and an address up in CT. I couldn't believe this information had been in my baby book all this time and I didn't even know about it. 

My first thought, is 'here's the baby"? Why would this person need to know about me, this baby? Who is this person and is she even still living? I got the nerve up to write a letter and include a copy of that photograph (front and back) as well as my contact information. I mailed it, then time stood still...I couldn't go back and 'not' send this letter with all my inquiries, so I waited...

A few days later, while at work (I was in Management at a local International Ministry) - my cell phone rang. On the other end of the phone was this small, feeble voice asking if this was Nancy Smith. I replied, 'yes' - may I ask who this is? The small voice replied, "my name is Theresa - you wrote me a letter and sent me a photograph. I've always wondered what happened to the baby". At that moment, I about passed out - my hands were wringing in sweat, my heart was beating out of my chest and here I am at work in a middle of a major project and all I could think about was I wanted to ask this question, that question and I couldn't even stutter a word I was shaking so hard. After closing the office door, I pulled up my chair, sat down and talked with this lady for over two hours. 

She told me that she had met my mother back in the late '50s when she was there with... (wait, what? my mother was in CT???) talk about more and more questions arising for me. My mind was racing in all sorts of directions. She went on to say - you have half-siblings - two brothers and a sister. The sister had recently passed away from breast cancer and one brother passed away a few years back. There is one still living, he is a doctor.  Okay, but what about my birth father...is he still alive? My heart pounding harder and harder and harder. "No", she replied. He passed away in 1985. At that moment, I don't know if I was relieved that he had passed or if I was relieved that she had contacted me as a result of me writing the letter. I must say, during the phone call - I wanted to drop everything I was doing - get in my car and drive to CT. I needed/wanted to meet this lady, who took the time to call me and give me information that I didn't even know existed for me. Had it not been for that school project of my daughter's back in 2001, I may not have ever known this information was on the back of that photograph. (c'mon - who takes pictures out of albums and looks on the back of them, I don't!?) but now doing genealogy, research, and stuff as this - I turn every stone over to find information. Whether it be about a specific person, a family line, or a neighbor who might know something about the particulars -- I make those contacts. History is THAT important to me!!! 

I'll save the rest of this story for another day but rest assured - 'walking with the ancestors' as I do nearly every single day, I have had the opportunity of uncovering many truths about my family's past. Whether it be close to me or as far off as a 10th Great Grandparent and then some. I've experienced things that make me shake my head, which has made me want to dig even deeper to try and connect dots that otherwise don't make sense. I have shared a few tears when learning some things or seeing a Find A Grave of someone whose life was snuffed out for whatever reason, or because I read something that moved my inner being. I have gotten mad because of things I've learned (such as family secrets that exist in every generation known to mankind that continue to get perpetuated still in the 21st Century) ...life is a cycle. We live, we breathe, and we have our being, then we die. 

Today, DNA is opening a world of HOPE for so many individuals like myself who have had millions of questions with no answers. I've seen the heartache firsthand of doors being slammed in a person's face for fear of their world about to come crumbling down around them if the truth was to come out.  I've seen firsthand, the victories of individuals finally learning their identity in order to put closure to the pain/voids they feel in their hearts. I've experienced the obsession that comes with hours and hours of research, digging for answers, reading this document and that document just trying to find 'that' needle in the haystack - and not even knowing where to begin. I've experienced firsthand, that fear of oh my gosh - I just turned over a bad rock...and now, I'm afraid to even go outside or answer my phone. 

For me, Genealogy isn't about finding all the ugly truths out or the family secrets of my family or others. (yes, I help others with their family trees). It's about breaking through a brick wall and a dead-end - when nothing else can be found. It's about building relationships with human beings who live and breathe still today. It's about learning the history of my 4th and 5th Great Grandfathers who served as Generals in the Civil/Confederate wars. It's about finding papers that were left on the curb for the trash - only to read them and realize it's about my husband's 2nd Great Grandparents. It's about learning of the stories of my 2nd Great Grandmother who was a full-blood Native American Indian who walked the Trail of Tears. It's learning that my granny lived in a small home and had very little. It's about learning I have new 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th cousins who live right here in my area. It's about learning that my family came to the US on a ship from Italy and became naturalized citizens through Ellis Island. It's about seeing the family photographs of my Great Grandfather as recent as 3 months ago - that no one in my family had ever seen. It's about seeing a photograph of my grandparents on my birth father's side for the first time New Year’s Day, 2019. It's about learning the stories that surrounded my Great Grandfather and the store he owned. It's about having the opportunity of attending the 61st Annual Family Reunion of my 2nd Great Grandfather's family and meeting a 3rd cousin who was 103 years old and as sharp as a tack with her memories of yesterday. It's about making THOSE kinds of connections for me! 

History - storytelling, memories of yesterday will forever be captured by so many individuals who want to keep those memories alive and bury them for those who don't. After all, they are our families (the good, the bad and the ugly) that's where we came from! How will your memory be captured? What will they say about you, their son/daughter, their sister/brother, their grandparent - their great grandparents, their aunts, uncles, etc.? Think about it, we are making history today in our lives for the generations to come...what will your family Legacy be?

Have a GREAT day!

~Heart to Heart Soul Creations

#h2hsc2020, #BlogBoost