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Ancestry

writing things down

The Problem with Not Writing Things Down

There’s a problem with not writing things down.  Not as daily reminders.  But, as forever memories. Untold stories leave questions.  Unshared legacies. The jewelry box is labeled with an inscription to my now deceased mother.  It reads the “Family Connection.” I keep it hidden away from my other valuables.  I …

I am a Victim of Terrorism

I became a victim of terrorism long before the word was even coined.  My mother emigrated from the former Yugoslavia.  She was lucky enough to have survived the horrors of World War II.  Unfortunately, her Catholic father was a wealthy business owner who was dragged away by the Nazis and …

Life’s Tchotchkes and their Stories

Moving on in life can mean passing on life’s tchotchkes and their stories. When my mother transcended to the heavens, my father allowed us to select from her treasures. I was attracted to one item because of the inscription on the box. It simply read “the family connection”. Inside was …

Life Story

No Life Story of Remembrance

She admits that she often searched the obituaries for records of his death.  Was it concern or curiosity?  Perhaps it was simply a quest for closure.  It was too late to change the inevitable.  Notice of her father’s death came from an unassuming stranger.  The kind missive declared that her …

life story

The Importance of Documenting a Life Story

Many find pleasure in researching genealogy, as family history tells us of the past that led to today’s people. The living are the greatest equipped to tell their own life story. They have their own version of yesterday’s tales. They best explain the background of family traditions. As a writer, …

It’s All About the People

When I was a child, I was subjected to the normal query asking what I wanted to be when I grew up and became an adult. Invariably, I had the same answer. I wanted to be a “famous” author. I am not sure what stories I thought I would tell …

family roots

Where Did I Come From? (Family Roots)

Let me forewarn you.  I am not about to reveal life’s great mysteries to you.  I am not going to tell you the facts of life.  You will have to look elsewhere for tales of the birds and the bees.  However, I do want to help you find out where …

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