Sometimes to move forward, it can be inspiring to look back and see just how far you've come. That can happen when exploring our roots. Today I was immersed in family genealogy. My creative imagination pictured the lives of those who have gone before me, and it reminded me that I come from strong stock.
Trying to put together the pieces of people's lives---'oh, that's how she ended up there'--or, 'how sad they lost their child so young'--makes them seem so real and so vulnerable. They are no less real because they are gone. In fact, to me they are very real because we share something together. We share family. Families live through the beautiful times and the hard times. Perhaps it is in the struggles where a family finds its greatest strength.
As if to place an exclamation point on the end of my experience, I attended a vigil Mass in a church that has beautiful stained glass windows bearing the names of my brother-in-laws ancestors. Even though they aren't my direct family, it gave me pause to think about all of the adventures and hardships these folks went through as they settled this land, and built an amazing house of worship to boot. Their names are literally etched into the stained glass---leaving a legacy for all of those who would follow them.
I have no idea what history will say of me someday. It doesn't really matter. What matters to me is that I can continue to march forth in my own way, and perhaps allow my own struggles to give me my greatest strength.
Marching forth to a history not yet made!
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