Thousands each day, across the globe, receive divine inspiration of one sort or another to pickup the challenges associated with exploring and assembling one’s genealogy.
Just exactly how one chooses to celebrate the process of approaching the big and small challenges connecting to adopting a family history project might make all the difference.
One approach is to look upon the work as a celebration of life. Another approach is to gather a start and just keep going.
One thing for certain is the task of assembling one’s complete family history is a daunting, if not impossible task. In fact, it might become so tedious or overwhelming, one might be tempted to be overwhelmed and quit.
I might suggest an attitude of accepting what you have (so far) and build upon it and cherish it while searching for new clues. It is a process, an adventure. Celebrate!
Such is the story of my book: My Maja A Grandson’s Tribute. (Now published by Amazon Books) My family heritage began as a simple idea. I felt strongly that my grandmother’s life as I understood it was interesting from the standpoint that she had met some life adversity challenges over her lifetime worth remembering.
From there, it was just one big celebration of what I could find to celebrate and remember her experiences and possibly even relate some life lessons that could be derived.
The celebration process for me of not adopting an overly rigorous process of onerous step-by-steps regimented process that might be too complicated,-for even beginners,— was my selected method and strategy.
For my project, the strategy worked all the way to not only completing a published book, but enabled me, in this lifetime, to pass along work-in-progress notebooks containing detailed genealogy and historical notes and archives.
Some genealogy friends patiently began to show and guide me how to use resources which might be used to find information. I began with enthusiasm and eager to set out to find and collect. I celebrated over and over. I found each new find rewarding. I was patient.
I was extremely fortunate in finding Lars Lundström, a Swedish historian genealogist who adopted me as a mentor, friend and guide. His work with me negotiating archives was amazing and priceless. His work was volunteer as I never could pay him the worth of many hours sharing his behind the scenes research.
I have found a generous spirit of overt kindness and helpfulness among the genealogy community of beginners and scholars.
I did not get bogged down, and just allowed moments for myself to savor, appreciate and begin sketching stories about what I had found.
I somehow knew that a looming potential enemy that could kill my enthusiasm for working at this new puzzle-like hobby and interest was tedium.
I began to think of this genealogy work as an art piece. I began to look at what I had gathered as an incomplete work of art,—but already beautiful and more complete than before, artwork in progress.
I was developing an attitude of self acceptance as a humble authority of my own small history universe discovered.
I have become inspired along the journey by inspirational wisdom that encourages:
Others write about the meaning of and satisfaction that goes with the genealogy journey:
Maja's Blessings 