I Want to Know More Than Just the Facts

When I started doing genealogy, I didn't realize just how much these "people" would mean to me. They became more than just a name on a family group sheet or pedigree chart. There had to be more to them than just a birth date, marriage date and death date. I really wanted to know their stories, learn how they lived and see what they looked like.
Even as a little girl, I loved to have my mom tell me stories about when she was a little girl but I never thought to ask my Grandma, Grandpa, aunts and uncles about their lives. By the time I realized the importance of the stories, it was too late to ask those who could tell me. They had either died or were lost in the darkness of dementia. Just like most of us, I had thought they would always be around. It didn't dawn on me, until I was almost 50, and becoming the oldest generation, that I didn't know a lot about my ancestors.
As I became more interested in genealogy, I met wonderful friends who had beautiful pictures and stories of their ancestors. They had more than just the facts and it made me also want to know more than just the facts about my family. That is why this blog has become--I want to connect with others who are related and share what I know with them and learn what they know and want to share with me and others.
I know that this life is just part of a long journey and that we knew each other before we were born. Life goes on, even after death, and I am grateful that I will one day again see my family. I will be able to really "get the facts" and learn about their lives.
I once read a beautiful poem that showed that there is indeed more to a person's life than just the dates on their tombstone. The dash between the birth date and death date represents much more than the space it takes up. It encompasses all of life's experiences—good and bad, happy and sad. It is important what we do between our birth and death. The 36-line poem touches on other subjects but it really got me thinking about what that dash represents in my ancestor's lives.

          The Dash by Linda Ellis
Here is a link to the author's website. A short video illustrates the poem. I hope you enjoy it!