Megan, thank you for this poignant beauty today. In reading it, and the climb over mossy, hidden buried ancestors, I'm reminded of what I have learned about trauma fields in the past, how their being uncovered also reshapes the entire field. You entering into this story will shift so much. I love you, Sonya
You always put it better than I ever could, Sonya. Not finding Herbert and Jeannie seems to have added a whole layer of metaphor to the experience of uncovering the truths about my ancestors. Maybe they weren't meant to be found...yet.
Maud Newton's Ancestor Trouble is a great read. I was just talking about her work with another writer, and I thought I'd pass it along to you too. xoxo
What a poignant discovery you are on, and full of emotions and memories.
The death of my own father sent me on a journey too, including a DNA test that showed me my Norwegian roots, explaining some of the recipes traveling around our family on that side. I feel it's our responsibility to document our generation as best as we can, and those we can recall, so that our future relatives can learn, understand and piece together their own stories. Thanks for this lovely reminder. It was a touching read, Meghan. xx
Thank you for taking time to read and comment, Christy. I think of my own kids all the time in this. It compels me to document things in a way that they can access later and also continue the work of building the family story. It's not easy to do!
This essay has moved me to tears today. Not only for the loss of your dear friend and colleague Natalie but in your quest to uncover your roots.
I've always said that if we're not sure where we came from, how can we honour our ancestors in where we are going.
I have lost both my parents in the past 5 years and with their passing, a lot of the family stories & folklore has disappeared as well. I now find myself at the age of 66 the "older" generation in my family. The "Keeper" of the family history.
Be sure to ask your older relatives about the knowledge that they carry about the family history both substantive and anecdotal. Video record them, write it down, take photos of documents.
Our past always dictates part of our future. It's because of them we exist in the life we have in Canada.
I'm trusting that you will discover wonderful things about your ancestors!
Deb, thank you so much for taking the time to share. You're right - the only way these family stories can live on is through documenting them and retelling them. I recently digitized my aunt's scrapbooks and my great grandparent's letters, among many things, and shared them with my siblings and cousins. As I'm working, I've been labelling emails and anything around this "project" as KINKEEPING, so it's interesting you used that word there.
I'm sorry you have lost your parents. I too feel the weight of what we lose as we lose our older generations because they are the only keepers of that knowledge unless it's recorded. You've inspired me to spend more time recording my parents (something I've done before but it's been a while).
I've discovered so much about my ancestors, including Herbert and Jeannie. It's been such a fulfilling experience!
I hope you'll write down your own stories, too. :)
Megan, thank you for this poignant beauty today. In reading it, and the climb over mossy, hidden buried ancestors, I'm reminded of what I have learned about trauma fields in the past, how their being uncovered also reshapes the entire field. You entering into this story will shift so much. I love you, Sonya
You always put it better than I ever could, Sonya. Not finding Herbert and Jeannie seems to have added a whole layer of metaphor to the experience of uncovering the truths about my ancestors. Maybe they weren't meant to be found...yet.
Maud Newton's Ancestor Trouble is a great read. I was just talking about her work with another writer, and I thought I'd pass it along to you too. xoxo
Thanks for that. Added to my list.
Beautiful piece Meg.
Thank you, Stasia.
What a poignant discovery you are on, and full of emotions and memories.
The death of my own father sent me on a journey too, including a DNA test that showed me my Norwegian roots, explaining some of the recipes traveling around our family on that side. I feel it's our responsibility to document our generation as best as we can, and those we can recall, so that our future relatives can learn, understand and piece together their own stories. Thanks for this lovely reminder. It was a touching read, Meghan. xx
Thank you for taking time to read and comment, Christy. I think of my own kids all the time in this. It compels me to document things in a way that they can access later and also continue the work of building the family story. It's not easy to do!
I'd love to hear more about these recipes!
Love reading your stories. Remembering many Ward fam jams!
Sometimes I wish we could rewind to that era and relive it!
Meghan,
This essay has moved me to tears today. Not only for the loss of your dear friend and colleague Natalie but in your quest to uncover your roots.
I've always said that if we're not sure where we came from, how can we honour our ancestors in where we are going.
I have lost both my parents in the past 5 years and with their passing, a lot of the family stories & folklore has disappeared as well. I now find myself at the age of 66 the "older" generation in my family. The "Keeper" of the family history.
Be sure to ask your older relatives about the knowledge that they carry about the family history both substantive and anecdotal. Video record them, write it down, take photos of documents.
Our past always dictates part of our future. It's because of them we exist in the life we have in Canada.
I'm trusting that you will discover wonderful things about your ancestors!
Deb
Deb, thank you so much for taking the time to share. You're right - the only way these family stories can live on is through documenting them and retelling them. I recently digitized my aunt's scrapbooks and my great grandparent's letters, among many things, and shared them with my siblings and cousins. As I'm working, I've been labelling emails and anything around this "project" as KINKEEPING, so it's interesting you used that word there.
I'm sorry you have lost your parents. I too feel the weight of what we lose as we lose our older generations because they are the only keepers of that knowledge unless it's recorded. You've inspired me to spend more time recording my parents (something I've done before but it's been a while).
I've discovered so much about my ancestors, including Herbert and Jeannie. It's been such a fulfilling experience!
I hope you'll write down your own stories, too. :)