Over the past year, I have lost both my little brother and my big brother. It was particularly difficult for me not being able to attend their funerals due to personal issues. However, I was able to attend my big brother’s Celebration of Life.
My brothers and I weren’t close in the traditional way, if such a thing exists. In our later years, we were physically miles apart. My little brother lived in North Carolina, while my big brother resided in Washington State, and I lived in Arizona.
My little brother, Jeff was a truck driver. He drove logging trucks in Washington for a while. It was a high point in my life when I got him hired by the same company I was working for. I drove “Belly Dump” trucks for ten years with him. During that time, I even introduced him to his future wife. Jeff lived in Arizona for ten years, but later moved to North Carolina. After Jeff passed, his wife returned from North Carolina to visit a daughter in Arizona. I took her to lunch and was able to catch up with her and reconnect with my little brother through her.
I usually called my big brother Mike two or three times a month, sometimes more. His Celebration of Life was held in Washington on the anniversary of my little brother’s passing. Even during a time of sorrow, I was able to connect with not only my big brother’s past, but with my own. I was able to talk to people I had not seen in decades, hear their stories, and reminisce about old times; as well as see their wives and adult children.
My big brother, though not into genealogy, was by default the family repository for all things family.
I was sad when it came time for me to leave. I was blessed to return home with various items from the family, such as clothes and pictures. I even have a picture of The Grumpy Old Man as The Grumpy Little Baby.
Genealogy adds Context to your life. It helps you connect with your past, whether on the computer, in everyday life, at family reunions, or even during sad times. I am now 74 years old. I am researching my ancestors and am working on how I can pass my own experiences on to future generations.