Member-only story
Rose Ekman — Almost a Sophomore
A lot of my family is Mormon. Thus, we’ve got the genealogy bug. The endeavor also compels my mom, though she’s not of that faith. Ever the sleuth, she LOVES the hobby, sewing together bits, and pieces, making small leaps that reveal more of our history. Though it’s tedious, detailed work, it’s the arils of knowledge that keep her picking.
Genealogy delivers joy in several ways. The answers, obviously; but also the hunt for pieces, and new collections of knowledge…even if it’s not useful to the searcher and their specific hunt; these bits are easter eggs for others searching for their own answers. While they in turn future-cache eggs themselves. Thus, it’s possible to future-cache one’s own eggs-because everything and everyone is connected.
Genealogy is a time machine that helps us answer, “who were we? but also, “where are we from?” “what happened?” and “what was it like?” most importantly, “Who am I?”
Genealogy provides another remarkable gift, linkage. If we think the world is a small place, it was much, much…much smaller 150 years ago. A friend of mine did his friend a genealogical favor and discovered along the way their own easter egg fact. Many generations ago, their grandfathers were held at the same time, in the same POW camp during the civil war. A link,160 years old, suddenly became new.
