I am so lucky during this phase of my life to be to able to spend time looking at the lives of my ancestors and gathering information about them.
Earlier in my life I was really busy with my five children, a job, some church obligations, my husband and his job and church responsibilities--the list could go on.
Each and every day there were always those tedious chores at home which had to be accomplished like vacuuming, dusting and sweeping. Often as I worked at these mundane chores, I would daydream I was vacuuming up the the happenings of the previous day. Then of course I put the dust in the garbage can. Now I wonder if I should have saved some of that dust so that it could be a part of my family's history.
That dust could be an essay assignment given to a student to write about a grandma. A school custodian once gave one of these she found in the trash to my mother. It was an essay written by my daughter about her grandma--my mother, then tossed away after she had received her grade.
Each and every day there were always those tedious chores at home which had to be accomplished like vacuuming, dusting and sweeping. Often as I worked at these mundane chores, I would daydream I was vacuuming up the the happenings of the previous day. Then of course I put the dust in the garbage can. Now I wonder if I should have saved some of that dust so that it could be a part of my family's history.
That dust could be an essay assignment given to a student to write about a grandma. A school custodian once gave one of these she found in the trash to my mother. It was an essay written by my daughter about her grandma--my mother, then tossed away after she had received her grade.
The dust could also be a note written by a great grandmother at the birth of a new great grand child.
Dust may also include a pocket knife given by a grandpa to his grandson as he enrolled in the Cub Scouts. Or even a picture taken of family members at a special event such as a graduation, birthday, reunion or holiday.
I have recollections of vases and cups holding dandelions so thoughtfully given by my five year old daughter. I was happy at the time to throw away that dust, but maybe I should have recorded something in my journal about the look on my daughter's face as she presented the yellow flowers to me.
Today I search for the dust so-to-speak preserved from the lives of my ancestors. Luckily some family members thought it might be valuable to a future generation.
In my repentant state, I try to teach my children and grandchildren about the importance of their own families and those who have gone before them. Sometimes dust is just dust, but then again it might not be. It could be a puzzle piece some in our posterity will need to complete the family puzzle.
Look carefully at your dust before you throw it away!
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