What do you do as a family member? Well, you might wear many hats or you might be the one with wisdom for giving guidance, a hero and a stanchion of family stability, the one with a sense of humor for spreading joy, the one with patience for challenges and tragedies. You might also be the one who tries everyone's patience.
When a family member passes, it means that those left behind have the chance to send the memories of that person far into the future so important inheritable qualities are never forgotten. The field of Genetics is a rising star in the world of Medicine, but to us commoners it's a science of amusing discovery and often the basis for good parlor conversation - sometimes complimentary, sometimes out in left field, and never a replacement for documented knowledge - the very next best to firsthand.
Think of a great grandchild several generations from now who reasons and acts like the loved one you lost. At some point in his life, that person will want to know details of this relative when old enough to comprehend his own similarities to and differences from an ancestor. Document it all ! Record everything you can for those you do not yet know and think of the satisfaction this Christmas present could bring to someone becoming a teenager or getting married in the year 2061 - only 50 years and 2-1/2 generations from now.
Merry Christmas!
Alice Elizabeth Cagle -- December 21, 2010
Posted by Alice Elizabeth Cagle at 9:02 PM
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