Enjoy the Living, While pursuing the Dead!

Don't neglect Aunt Myrtle & Cousin Herman

Maintain those relationships with living relatives today!

New Years Resolution #5

Life is crazy busy these days -- we are a society constantly on the go and have almost constant stimuli -- but that's another dilemma for another day! And since we are in the second week of February, I am wrapping up my genealogy resolutions for 2014, with this final posting!

Between juggling jobs, families [those we habitate with], and other life responsibilities--
there isn't always a lot of left over hours in a week to devote to genealogy-- and when we do find ourselves with some treasured genealogy time-- we spend it searching Ancestry.com, stumbling through cemeteries, or digging through dusty ledgers at the courthouse.


So.... due to the above and countless other reasons-- we often put of visiting with our real-live-still-breathing family members! I struggle with this as much as anyone! Not only am I fortunate enough to have a large extended family-- as someone in his mid-30s, I still have quite a few relatives from that "older generation"-- people like my 103 year old Great-Great Aunt! And after many years of researching-- I have relationships with many "cousins" who also share a passion for genealogy [or at least a remote interest!]. So I have both elderly family & fellow researchers I want to see in the first half of 2014.

Sine I'm lucky that many/most of my relatives life reasonably close-- some 20 miles away, while others about 2 hours-- still all doable in a day! So I have created a list of relatives I want to physically pay a visit to by June 1st, 2014! My list is numbered at 10-- though it could have been twice that... Perhaps I'll expand the list if I go gangbusters and see everyone by June-- than I can add to it for the last half of the year.

And for those important people who live states away from me-- there will be phone calls- especially for those like my 89 & 90 year old Great-Aunts who don't use email or Facebook.

Not only do I actually enjoy these people I'm maintaining relationships with-- but as I mentioned in my Brick Walls- Resolution #2 post, these living breath folks often have great tidbits of information-- or game changing bombshells-- that may shatter [or create new?] Brick Walls.

Well, this all being said-- what about you? Do you have any relatives that you need to spend some time with this year? Or are there previous unknown relatives that you need to establish a relationship with? In this age of busy living & technology over load, it is easy to let "real people" moments pass by....

So today, I challenge you! Call Aunt Myrtle and plan a coffee date! Call Grandpa's cousin Herman and see if he has any old photos! Make a list...and start in on it! After all, this is really what genealogy is all about...not that internet downloaded pedigree that takes you back to Adam & Eve... But the real people in our family tree, who can tell us stories and help us make great memories!

I'd keep writing...but I have to refill my coffee cup & call my 89 year old Great-Aunt!