THE STORY TELLERS.....

[DavidWW]

THE STORY TELLERS

We are the chosen. My feelings are that in each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors. To put flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the family story and to feel that they somehow know and approve.

To me, genealogy is not just a cold gathering of facts but instead, breathing life into all who have gone before. We are the storytellers of our tribe. All tribes have one.

Those who have gone before cry out to us: Tell our story. So, we do. In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. How many graves have I stood before now and cried ? How many times have I told the ancestors, you have a wonderful family, you would be proud of us?

It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who am I and why do I do all the things I do? It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference and saying, I can't let this happen. The bones here are bones of my bone and flesh of my flesh. It goes to doing something about it.

It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving in or giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family.

It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us. That we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are them and they are us.

So, as a scribe called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take their place in the long line of family storytellers.

That is why I do my genealogy, and that is what calls those young and old to step up and put flesh on the bones.

Unknown

[Thrall]

Thank you David for finding and posting that, and very well put though I don´t see my scratching around on the net or at the East End in Edinburgh couched in quite so poetic terms - but more than a little truth there.

A Guid New Year to you and all at TS and as we say here, "Thank you for the old one".

Thrall

[maceill]

wish we could all express ourselves, as the story teller has done.
happy new year to you ,and all on talking scot when it comes
regards
maceill

[Russell]

I don't know who wrote it either but it describes someone (more than one!) I have met probably on a website somewhere, recently.

We all feel a sense of social history and want to be proud of what we have inherited. Not the material things but more the the manners, the pride, the family traditions, the cultural heritage. On a personal level; we count the blue eyes, green eyes, red hair or whatever are your family characteristics. Its personal, national, local all these things put together.

I don't care if anyone else in the family is interested in what I find out. I'm this generations story-teller. I hope there is an enquiring next generation to tell my humble story.

Russell

[Tracey]

I like a few other priveledged ones know one side of my story from 1880,s to 1906 via 300+ letters excluding keepsakes ect and it wasnt a happy privelged one but very sad. These letters fill in the gaps of what happened to them between the census years which is priceless information. I have spent many times crying reading these and had many sleepless nights worrying about one inparticular. But good or bad or sad because of these i have a stronger need to know and as i am finding out as the rest of my family get older they want to know to, and i am able to tell them.
The most annoying question to me is when i am asked how far have you got back. That wasnt my intention. My intension was to find OUT about family and i have - well one side !
But im not telling mine ! for the future generation of my family for my story when i am long gone the clue is Gucci shoe box !! (they can spend the time putting it all together like i have - why spoil their fun !)

[Guest]

This has always been one of my favorite poems. When my brother and I decided to write our family’s history several years ago we thought we were the only ones who needed to document so many wonderful people. As word spread throughout the family of our undertaking, cousins appeared from all corners of the country. Our story tellers for that first book included 38 cousins and two very good friends. The next book will include the research of several more Americans, one Australian and a couple of Scots. My intro incorporates part of this wonderful poem and I hope the contributors feel as honoured as I do in being placed in the category of preserving the family history and as one of the story tellers.
Catherine

[Rachel]

The tales above have given me new heart. Some weeks ago a friend phoned me an asked 'are you still digging up old bones' I thought for a second, only a second, then I replied. I am not digging up old bones I am looking for my family, who they were and what they did how they lived and how they died. Some of them I wish I had known and had kissed there dear faces. Some had tragically short lives others had lived long and had useful lives but all of them had somehow contributed to what I am now. I feel comfortable in their skin.
rachel

[Rosie K]

The Storytellers

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, I felt a wee bit guilty when I was asking questions about my ancestors, I felt I was intruding on their privacy--I know that sounds silly--thanks to all the people who send in questions and to all who provide answers I now feel comfortable with what I am doing, I am also enjoying it. I am not as qualified as the people on here at finding all the answers, I must say I have a lot of help from reading the replies from the moderators and I am finding out more each day. Thanks to you all, I hope you all find the answers you are looking for Good Luck You will have to excuse me now as I am away to knock down brick walls.

[Ina]

Hi Rosie,

There was a wee echo above, so I deleted your duplicate post

Ina

[HeatherH]

Like many of you I am trying to find the story of my family.I am not impressed with how far back people have gotten or how many in their tree .I would rather know the story of a dozen or so than trace my way back to the vikings and have thousands.
This has been a sad new Years for my family as we lost another member on the 30th.I had no idea when I saw My Aunt this summer that she would be with us for just a few more short months.
I will echo a reminder stated many many times on Talking Scot before.Talk to your rellies old and young as we may not have the chance to do so later.
All the best,
HeatherK