We are the chosen. My feelings are 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 somehow they
know and approve. To me, doing genealogy is not a cold gathering of
facts but, instead, breathing life into all who have gone before. We are
the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We have been called,
as it were, by our genes. 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? I have lost count. How many times have I told the
ancestors you have a wonderful family you would be proud of us? How many
times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was love there
for me? I cannot say.

It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who am I and why do I
do 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 deep pride that they fought to make and keep us a Nation. 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 family genealogy, and that is what calls those
young and old to step up and put flesh on the bones.

(Tom Dunn)