by David Duncan

Created on: January 18, 2009

For our family, much of the information about our ancestors is handed down in storytelling. My favorite story is one my grandfather (mother's side) used to tell about being raised by his two brothers in Iowa. He fled Germany with his brothers, Army officers, during the end of Hitler's reign. My grandfather spoke of their long journey to America, how they traveled to Iowa and started up a small farm, and eventually brought my great-grandparents over from Germany.

My grandfather love to tell a good story and his recount of this childhood experience was filled with much emotion and never lost my attention. I tried to imagine how terrified he must have felt, hoping they would make it out of Germany without being caught. I thought about how he felt entering the New York harbor, seeing the Statue of Liberty and rest of the skyline for the first time. Still, as he spoke of Iowa, I tried to picture a small boy working in a field, in a strange land thousands of miles from his parents and where he was born. Interestingly, my grandfather didn't tell me this particular story until shortly after my first son was born. Maybe, he felt it was time to tell a family story I could finally understand, fully appreciate, and pass onto his grandchildren. My grandfather had an incredible sense of timing. As a son and a new father, his story had a remarkable impact on me. I'm not sure I would have had his courage to leave my parents like he did, especially being an only child. I'm not sure I could have watched my sons leave, like my great-grandparents had to endure. Since the time my grandfather shared his story, I have tried to always carefully weigh sacrifices made in "family time." A few years back, my grandfather passed, I miss his stories, his lessons.

Like our parents and grandparents before us, my wife and I are storytellers too. Now, we share a story that dates back to the 1600's in Scotland, where one of my ancestors was a prominent land owner. We also go back to stories about some my wife's ancestors who lived on the Isle of Wight, off the coast of Scotland about the same time. We come a little further into the future to talk about one of my ancestors who married a Cherokee Indian maiden in the 1800's. Still, another account takes us a century ahead to a story about my wife's grandfather, a New York City fire chief in the early 1900's. Of course, one of the greatest stories in our family, my grandfather's journey to America, has also been passed down.

Now, my place in our family legacy has also been set. My family has been to where I spent most of my childhood, especially to a small meadow where I loved to fish and play. They have heard the stories of my travels and experiences while growing up. My thoughts on religion, politics, and other society issues are very well-known to them. They share my love for the outdoors and know of my special admiration for wolves. They admire my passion for great food and respect my abilities as a Chef. Finally, and most important, they know "family" means more to me than any personal accomplishment because of how I was raised.

We can get so much from learning about our ancestors. We are given a chance to glimpse back in time at real events and people we are connected to, with an opportunity to not only be entertained but, hopefully, to learn a little more about ourselves. Like many of my ancestors, I strive to live a life that will leave a legacy that entertains and also gives lessons for good living. For me, Ancestry is not only about what once was in a family, but how history in a family continues in our daily words and actions.

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