Why genealogy?

Have you ever dreamed of a house with a fireplace where you could proudly display your big family tree framed nicely and simply? If yes then I am talking to the write person.

As an experienced genealogist I believe that the family tree has a magic of bringing exceptional warmth to any home. I have started my family tree in my mid-twenties and now I am 42, such a long and meaningful journey.

The main reason why I thought of my family tree was the search for my identity which I could find through my parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and every single person in the elder generation of my extended family who made me what I am.

Indeed it was exciting to plunge into the past to finally have wider picture of my own story but before I pushed “enter” button of my genealogy project I took a deep breath. Was I ready to bring more transparency to my roots? But excitement was stronger…
Yes, we aren’t given a chance to choose our ancestors and change their deeds but we still have a power to study ourselves through listing the pages of the past. In a world where the present is turbulent and future is uncertain, regaining the past can provide some stability. Understanding where we came from directs and guides us where we can go.

Genealogical research permits travelling in time. This is a motivating way to discover what were the customs and lifestyles at various times of your ancestors, maybe your great-uncle was a pirate of the South Seas? Doing your random search you meet both pleasant and unpleasant moments, you find places where your ancestors were living, you understand how they were surviving difficult times and wars. You even keep a slight and secret hope to find signs of nobility in your blood.

History hidden behind genealogy causes emotion; it is a true story that concerns you directly, it’s your story. Every little detail becomes important for you and makes your research richer.

It is like a huge puzzle where you have to assemble scattered clues to reconstruct the family, a treasure hunt to find ways to link logical parts together. Patience, good will, and discipline are enough to bring the light to mystery.

With time and perseverance genealogy becomes a fantastic game. When you start you are limited to the information relevant to your closest relatives. The more data you find the more the spirit of the genealogist wakes up in you and you want to dig more. As soon as you start, the process attracts you and you cannot stop and this is true.

Developing genealogy required passion and love from me. However passion and love would never be enough to accumulate volumes of information I managed to collect throughout past years. I realized that data and facts were becoming accessible and available only when I was approaching to the archives, old documents, and black and white photos with special respect and admiration. My past is a heritage, my heritage, single handed down from generation to generation.

“The dead are never dead, as long as we talk about them” someone famous did say that but it wasn’t me.

Drawing your family tree is a real opportunity to pay a tribute to beloved ones, living or dead. So let’s start your journey to the past, link it to present and portray the future. Ask yourself why do you want to do your genealogy? We all have our different reasons and that’s the most fascinating.