The Folly of Modern Life

 

The Folly of Modern Life

Reader’s Digest April/May 2026 p 21

“Don’t Trim the Azalea”

 
I found this quote in an article that struck a chord with me. Often on our mountain property, I have commented that our purchased land doesn’t belong to me, but to the animals that call it ‘home’ every day. I’m just the traveler moving through, as this land has been there for eons.
 
“It’s a sad folly of modern life that we think we’re somehow separated from the natural fabric in which we live. It’s a perspective built on a calculus of artifice – brick by brick by technological advance, we’ve convinced ourselves that we live apart from the bird and the turtle and the fox. But it’s a perspective that diminishes the lives of both humans and wild creatures. In a world older and more complete than ours, animals move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth.”   ~ Henry Beston The Outermost House.
 
The article goes on to say that in a lot of ways, how we live our lives is a matter of choosing how we wish to impact those “other nations.” A bird flushing from a side-yard Azalea is proof that those other nations aren’t “out there” in some abstract fashion: they live among us and with us and alongside us. Whether it’s a drive to the grocery store or an approach to lawn care, the act of everyday living has real-world impact on our furred, feathered, scaled and exoskeletoned fellow travelers. We either choose to ignore our impact on those other nations, or we choose to be as neighborly as possible.
 
There is an obligation that comes with living on the only planet we have. My little plot of land with huge pine trees and/or my neatly urban trimmed shrubs are not mine alone, nor is anywhere that I’ll ever plant a footprint in this life. The other nations are everywhere…and more reliant on harmony and benevolence than ever before.

Unlock Someone Else's Cage

 Unlock Someone Else’s Cage    

That’s my title for an article I found on FB

ALICE WALTON

Alice Walton: Billionaire Bridging Art & Community | Biography | Net Worth | Philanthrophy |

                She inherited a Walmart fortune that could buy a small country. What she did next shocked the art world—and changed thousands of lives. When Alice Walton inherited her share of the Walmart empire in 1992, she became one of the wealthiest women alive. Her stake in her father's retail kingdom would eventually grow to rival the economies of entire nations. Most people who inherit that kind of money spend their lives protecting it, multiplying it, treating wealth like a competitive sport with an ever-rising scoreboard.

                Alice saw something different in those numbers. She saw possibility.

Her father, Sam Walton, was the man who turned a single store in Arkansas into a global phenomenon. He was famously frugal - driving an old pickup truck even as his company became the largest retailer on Earth. When he died, he left his children more than money. He left them a choice about what to do with impossible wealth.

                While her brothers stepped into corporate leadership roles, managing the business that bears their family name, Alice walked a different path. Born in 1949, she grew up watching her father's relentless expansion, but retail never captured her imagination. While others counted profits, Alice was drawn to paintings.

                The question that defined her life became: What do you do when you have more money than a thousand lifetimes could spend? For most billionaires, the answer involves private collections, exclusive clubs, and the quiet accumulation of more wealth simply because the numbers can always go higher. Alice's answer was radical: she would give art away.

                In 2011, she opened the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas—a town of 50,000 people nestled in the Ozarks. She spent over a billion dollars acquiring masterpieces by Georgia O'Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Norman Rockwell, and Jackson Pollock. The art world elite laughed. Why would anyone bring priceless American art to rural Arkansas?

Then she made it free. Forever.

                Alice's vision was beautifully simple: a child growing up in a trailer park deserves the same access to culture as a Manhattan socialite. Art shouldn't require a trust fund or a coastal zip code. It should belong to everyone.

Since opening, over six million people have walked those halls—school groups, farm families, travelers who suddenly had a reason to stop in Arkansas. By eliminating admission fees, she eliminated the invisible wall that separates culture from the people it's meant to inspire.

                But Alice didn't stop at art. She turned her attention to something even more urgent: healthcare. Rural America is hemorrhaging doctors. Communities across the heartland watch their hospitals close, their clinics disappear, their neighbors drive hours for basic care. Alice saw this crisis and decided to build a solution from the ground up. The Alice L. Walton School of Medicine opened its doors to students in 2024, focused on whole-health medicine and committed to training doctors who will serve underserved communities. She created substantial scholarships to ensure students graduate without crushing debt—removing the financial pressure that drives new doctors toward wealthy suburbs instead of rural towns.

                Alice Walton's story isn't about building wealth from nothing. It's about something equally rare: deciding what existing wealth should build.

The debates around wealth inequality and labor practices remain complex and valid. But Alice's choices offer a glimpse of what intentionality looks like at the highest levels of wealth. She inherited an empire but chose to create institutions that outlast quarterly earnings reports.

                She brought world-class art to forgotten towns. She's training doctors for communities the healthcare system abandoned. She didn't build the fortune, but she's deciding what it leaves behind.

                In a world where most billionaires treat wealth like a high score in an endless game, Alice broke the cycle. She realized that money can be either a cage of endless accumulation or the key that unlocks someone else's cage.

Most people spend their entire lives chasing more - more money, more status, more security - trapped in a hunger that grows with every zero added to the balance. Alice proved that the escape isn't found in having more. It's found in deciding that something else matters more.

She understood that the true measure of a fortune isn't its size. It's what it builds after the numbers stop mattering.

The Little Boy and the Old Man

 SHEL SILVERSTEIN 

Parental Guidance: The Little Boy and the Old Man

As a teacher of 30 years, it was important to me to teach the students an appreciation for poetry. Of course, we studied all the patterns of rhythm and rhyme (which was over their heads, I'm sure) because exposure to all aspects of poetry was important to me...and that they understand that poetry is really words in motion, a different way of writing. 

Shel Silverstein (1930-1999) was a huge success with kids because his poems were simplistic and direct filled with whimsical or humorous imagery. Students adored his poetry, so much so that for several years I introduced myself on the first day by using an imaginary world of being "One Inch Tall", a poem by Shel Silverstein. They were introduced to their journal books by writing imaginary images of what life would be like for them if they were only one inch tall. From there, we took off on the ability to write freely in journals and writing about things that could be drawn upon later in some of their formal writing. 

The other day I came upon the poem, "The Little Boy and the Old Man."  As an older person now, I was stunned at Shel's ability to focus so sincerely on the emotional connection between two individuals. His poignant words struck a chord about how our society loses sight that older people have such wisdom...that we, too, have lived a full life steeped in all the emotions, that we understand FAR greater than young people can fathom. Young people do not have the age nor wisdom of living life. Mother always said, "I haven't lived 150 years for nothing." I get it now!!! It's a delicate dance older people do in order to give advice in a way that will not alienate them from the youth.

Here is Shel's poem with such poignant wording. 

The Little Boy And The Old Man

Said the little boy, "Sometimes I drop my spoon."

Said the old man, "I do that too."

The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."

"I do that too," laughed the little old man.

Said the little boy, "I often cry."

The old man nodded, "So do I."

"But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems

Grown-ups don't pay attention to me."

And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.

"I know what you mean," said the little old man. 

Focus on the WHO, Not the WHY

How do you bounce back from situations that knock you down? It's hard when you are depleted and challenged to maintain hope. It's hard because you become disillusioned. We may never know why something happens, but if we linger on the "why", we become bitter. We become disillusioned with God. Shaking off that disillusionment is the key to getting back up. It allows you to see that you haven't been abandoned. God will use you for something that you would have never encountered. He will give you an opportunity hidden behind diversity. It's all part of a plan. Focus on the WHO (trust God) not the why.

America Must Wake Up

 

For older Americans, these traits are unacceptable. They show poor character and a lack of responsibility. Parents are ultimately responsible for teaching their children a sense of respect and responsibility. I’m fearful for the America the next generation will deal with. We must not forget the principles our founders used as the foundation for our democracy. 

Understanding Others

 

Being a Researcher as a Virgo

                                                                    image from lavaguardia.com

Try as I may, I will never be able to fit all of my research into one tidy box...or for that matter, into many tiny boxes. My first true love is RESEARCHING, and that is a never ending process. There is always something new and trying to make sense of it all is virtually impossible. I have established what I believe is our heritage, but at a point in the 1840s, it becomes a little dicey unless there has been some great documentation done along family lines. That is above my pay grade. So at this point, I will just have to start dumping my research into this blog. I'm wordy, as I alway think that what I have found may be a clue to me or someone else along the way.

With that said.... let me fill you in on what it means to be a Virgo...

Virgo personality traits: Everything you need to know (yourzodiac.org)
Virgos are incredibly organized because we are observant, critically inclined, intellectually enduring, methodological and logical. We tend to things in details, which makes us the perfectionists of the zodiac. All of our analyses are complex and in-depth because we have a great focus to catch all the details.

On one hand, we are practical and diligent; on the other, we can be overly critical and worrisome. We’re incredibly reliable and when we commit to something, you can bet we’ll see it through to the end. Being dependable is something we take pride in. We value trust and believe in keeping our word. 

In astrology, each zodiac sign is associated with a ruling planet, which influences that sign’s personality traits and behaviors. For Virgos, that planet is Mercury.
Mercury, in Roman mythology, is the god of communication and commerce. This ties into the Virgo’s knack for clear, concise communication and their practical, systematic approach to life. This gives Virgos an edge, often making them the problem solvers in any group. We analyze situations and come up with logical solutions. 
We are analytical and have a knack for dissecting problems, situations, and even conversations, breaking them down to understand them better.
But remember, while we’re busy analyzing, we also appreciate when others take the time to understand our thought process. 

When it comes to loyalty, Virgos are second to none. We value our relationships deeply, and once we are committed to someone, we stick by them through thick and thin. We don't abandon ship when things get tough. We’re also incredibly dedicated in our work and other commitment

Our pursuit of perfection often leads us down the road of self-criticism. We set high standards for ourselves, and when we fall short, we can be our own harshest critics.
We are natural helpers.... but we see the importance of setting boundaries and not overextending ourselves. Taking care of our own well-being is as important as helping others.

We are prone to worry. Virgos set high standards for ourselves and those around us, and the fear of falling short of perfection or making mistakes can contribute to our propensity for worry. 

We have a tendency to care deeply...This caring nature fuels our dedication, loyalty, and desire for perfection. It makes us reliable friends, dedicated partners, and diligent workers.

Are We Missing The Boat

 

For a long time, I have known that we, as a nation, are deteriorating. I have said that the problem is found in 3 areas: decay in the family, decay in our belief in God, and no understanding of patriotism. This came on the TV and confirmed my fears. 

Family: For some time, it has been convenient to divorce when things just go wrong. It seems that for a long time, couples would persevere and work through their problems. This left the family structure intact, with a mother figure and a father figure. Each brings something to the family that ALL children need.

Then we began hearing how the Black culture was missing Father figures. The women would have children and sometimes they would not even know their fathers, leaving the women to raise the children alone....and sometime leaving them to be raised by grandparents. 

Now we have gay marriages that have children??? How could that be (BIOLOGY TELLS YOU THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE)...well, it's not possible without invitro fertilization. There was an article last week in the paper about how 3 different girls were searching for answers about medical issues using their DNA.....well, turns out they learned that they have over 300 siblings. Sperm donor banks often do not monitor the amount that is sold. I can only imagine what the children of the future are going to face. 

Religion: we are being bashed from every angle for our belief system. This nation was founded on Christian principles. We must be aware of wolves in sheep clothing. If you don't believe it, look up the TRUE history of why there was immigration in the 1600-1700s. They were searching for religious freedoms and they found this nation on their Christian beliefs, not free from God, but free to worship as they pleased. Now we are demonized for our beliefs, for being good decent human beings, excepting others just as Christ did. The word Jesus is a frightening reality for many. There is a lawlessness and a desire to just do what feels good, to rewrite history, to do as we please in the here and now. AND... Never think that the middle Eastern culture is the same. 

Patriotism: we are losing the last generation that had to fight in an ALL OUT WAR where it took the WHOLE nation to come together to defeat our enemies. The young people are losing sight of what the cost of that was in the form of giving your life for our freedoms. There are too many keyboard warriors that have no idea what courage it took to lay it all on the line for our beliefs. Self-gratification and lack of responsibility and owning your own problems/situation is creating a huge problem for the strong will of our people. Some can't even tell you who we fought in the Revolution.

Super Bowl Sunday- THE GANDER

Difference between Goose and Gander | 8 Scientific Facts (differpedia.com)

 So, it's Monday morning, the day after the Super Bowl. The team that I was cheering for eventually won the game. Yet, there was an incident that is a nagging irritation in the back of my mind. One 'said' player was experiencing frustration for not being in the game. His actions were less than desirable and tainted their win in my eye. 

At the time of the incident, things were falling apart; he ran over and bumped...or rather RAMMED... his coach, nearly knocking him down. The coach did not see it coming and this 'said' player is a huge man garbed in his battle equipment. I was shocked at the exact second that it occurred. Don't get me wrong; I am a coach's wife and we were part of an extremely well-run program with high expectations. This would never be acceptable. Until now? ... nah, never!

"What's good for the goose is good for the gander." This idiom means that a rule or standard that applies in a situation should apply to everyone equally, regardless of gender or characteristics. 

Just because this 'said' player makes millions does not make him any better than any of the other players, pee wee on up, across the nation. He should regulate himself with the same acceptable standards. Yet, he found himself above all the rest with no self-constraints, having a tantrum like a child. He looked a bit like the gander who was taking advantage of the goose. 

So...he fell out of favor with me. I'm expecting him to be a better role model for all those young people watching. He is front and center stage, dating the most popular pop star on the planet, but in no way does this make him better than the rest. I'm waiting for him to learn some humility....it may be a LONG wait. 

See The Work

 To live with purpose is to do good things even when no one is looking. It's important to do things right for your own self-worth and integrity. My husband and I were raised to do things right and to not leave a job undone. I know that his mode of operandi is to pitch in whenever he sees something that.... just needs to be done. I worked hard, and still do, to get ALL the squares filled, probably to a fault, leaving no stone unturned until the job is completed.

I recently read an article in Reader's Digest that was titled SEE THE WORK. Simple advice from a quiet woman of few words was, "See the work" which means when you see what needs to be done, do it without being told. If toys are left out, put them away. If dishes are being washed, grab a towel and dry. The list goes on daily....to just see the work.

Preserving Our Legacy

https://quotefancy.com/media/wallpaper/3840x2160/473668-Maya-Angelou-Quote-You-can-t-really-know-where-you-are-going-until.jpg 

PRESERVING OUR LEGACY

             It has been a lifelong pleasure to research our families' history.  I began before the advent of internet and did the basic foundation work the old-fashioned way:  contacting the oldest living relative, traversing country roads back to the old homesteads, trekking to county courthouses to access records, visiting cemeteries to glean birth and death dates, combing the archives here in Austin, and picking my mother's brain. Mother and I spent many days together weaving together our family story.  My forte was building the skeleton, and she loved "adding meat to the bones." She put together an amazing picture book and supplied so many stories that give meaning to our ancestor's lives.  I feel fortunate that I lived among my cousins, my aunts and uncles, and that my grandparents were a part of my life.  I was blessed to know three of my great-grandparents on Mother's side of the family.  Each bit of information made me want to know more and to understand the sacrifices that were made by each generation.  I came to realize that they were honorable people who valued life and liberty, and they worked hard to bring our family to the place we are now. My research revealed that they were men and women of faith who were true to themselves and to family. 

            I, in no way, believe that every detail in this research is correct.  Digging for family roots is a mystery and is fraught with pitfalls and misinformation.  I am not a professional researcher, but I understand the value of documenting and striving to be as accurate as possible.  I have files of paper research, but my goal is to share this history as succinctly as possible to point the next historian in the right direction or to at least give them a place to fill in the gaps or make corrections.  My desire is to preserve and honor those in our family who helped carve out our great nation. Our roots are deep southern roots with the first immigrants of every line reaching the shores of America prior to the Revolution, making for a very colorful and rich American family history.  Having southern roots complicated my efforts, as so many records were destroyed in the Civil War, but with the perseverance of county, state, and older family historians who documented the pioneer families, our own history is revealed.  Maybe the following pages will help someone carry the torch of preserving our legacy by keeping the integrity of our rich heritage intact and helping our descendants stay connected to the roots of our family.

You only know where you are going
when you know where you have been.

~ Maya Angelou

Defining Our Lives

Who Are YOU? Where did you come from? If someone asked you for an explanation of how you reached your point of destination, you would be able to tell your own life story, but the answer, in reality, goes back way before your story began. I believe the answer lies in the struggle between mankind on this earth. Forever, since the dawn of time, man has struggled for his rights. Civilizations are defined by war and it comes with a price.  Many wars have been fought from Biblical times until now to bring us to where we are. So, when you look at who you are, and what formed your family and your core beliefs, most of the time, a turning point of any family was during wartime. As a genealogist, I am amazed at how much my family history has played a part in defining who I am.

There’s a term, genetic memory that defines how life experiences may be passed on to our children. Memory present at birth, in the absence of sensory experience, is incorporated over long spans of time. For me, I believe that it is a cultural experience that is ingrained into the very nature of a family, and it encodes a readiness to respond in certain ways to certain stimuli. As Mother always said, “Nothing happens in a vacuum.”

I stand in awe as I look back over the many decades that my research has covered and what I see revealed about every generation back to the 1600s or 1700s.  Our tree is built on families who have always been willing to pay the price to bring us to where we are today. Yet, we go about our daily lives, taking for granted everything we have, without one thought about the cost to our very own ancestors who paid with their own blood, sacrifices and hard work for us to live in comfort, leading daily lives with no real sacrifices.

Recent turn of events have made me question why I have dedicated my life passionately to documenting my family history. Why have I spent hour after hour researching these people's lives; why have I collected file cabinet drawers full of documents; WHY has it truly mattered to me to know about the lives of those who have gone before me. WHY?  The answer is simple; I wouldn't be where I am if it were not for their journeys in life, and neither would you.

I’m baffled that others don’t care to stay connected to their heritage. Why would you not be interested in the blood that courses through your veins. It IS WHO YOU ARE…after all. My research is available for anyone who is interested, and recorded history shows the bravery of our people who were willing to fight for their beliefs and sometimes forced to migrate in order to survive. Their footprints carve a path to my very front door. They had a very hand in the freedoms that I enjoy.

We are part of the framework of American democracy that included the freedom of religion, speech and not being dictated to by our government.  Many men and women have died for all the things that our constitution stands for.... but where did that person come from with such a passion to fight for those rights. It was passed along from somewhere, and they are among your family ancestors.

We have long celebrated the greatest generation, and rightfully so. It is a time in history that is current in our lives. Our parents were part of one of the greatest generations that ever lived when our nation, men and women, came together to end the Second World War.

But it didn’t begin there. When you take a look back, history shows that each generation has been willing to fight for our freedoms.  And yes, we have direct family members who landed in the new world BEFORE it was a nation.  They stepped onto this soil with the intention of carving out a new life, free from government control.  They were willing to face the risk and dangers of a world unknown to others.  And no, it didn’t begin there because in the Old World there where wars that forced our relatives to flee to the New World. And our history incorporates family members that gave their lives so that you and I can live within the boundaries of a free world.

All of the above brings up the question: who in your family earned you the right to claim those freedoms? Would you know about your families' involvement in the settling of our great nation?  I see my own family willing to live in comfort with multitudes of freedoms without any knowledge of who in their family made that possible for them.  I feel forever grateful for my background. It’s important to pass this history down to future generations because it is WHO we are. It is forever in our DNA. It didn’t begin there, nor will it end there.

There is not a generation that I have found that immigrated after the 1800s. By that time, our family was involved in carving out the western frontier, living in harsh conditions to find a better life for their families. Most of them came across to Texas in the early stage of development. It was from there in rural areas that our roots took hold. I’m proud to be an American and I’m proud to be a Texan.

 

We Are The Chosen

There is a genealogy poem that tugs on all genealogist's heartstrings. When you first read it, you will immediately feel a connection to the words.  I thought it was unique to the website where I first saw it but have since done some research as to its origin. I believe that it was written by Della M. Cumming. Somewhere along the way it was edited and reworded by Tom Dunn. Some refer to the poem titled "The Storytellers." Either way, it deserves to be passed along to those of you who have spent countless hours documenting family history.

The Story Tellers.....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 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, Author)

Most likely taken from a poem by Della M. Cumming

Grandma's Pearls of Wisdom

 https://granny7xsthought.blogspot.com/

                                 I first found this poem in the Southern Living Magazine in November 2017.                                                     It fits perfectly with the stories of my grandmothers. 

Grandma's Pearls of Wisdom

by Becky Netherland 

 

I've traveled paths you've yet to walk,

Learned lessons old and new,

And now this wisdom of my life,

I'm blessed to share with you.

 

Let kindness spread like sunshine,

Embrace those who are sad.

Respect their dignity, give them joy

and leave them feeling glad.

 

Forgive those who might hurt you

And though you have your pride,

Listen closely to their viewpoint

Try to see the other side.

 

Walk softly when you're angry,

Try not to take offense,

Invoke your sense of humor,

Laughter's power is immense.

 

Express what you are feeling,

Your beliefs you should uphold.

Don't shy away from what is right,

Be courageous and be bold.

 

Keep hope right in your pocket,

It will guide you day by day.

Take it out when it is needed,

When it's near, you'll find a way.

 

Remember friends and family

Of which you are a precious part.

Love deeply and love truly,

Give freely from your heart.

 

The world is far from perfect.

There's conflict and there's strife,

but you still can make a difference

By how you live your life.

 

And so I'm very blessed to know

The wonders you will do

Because you are my granddaughter

And I believe in you.

Family Connections

 Paper Chain Of People Photograph by Ktsdesign - Pixels

What is our purpose? What will be our legacy? We are only a pin prick in the universe. Will anyone know your name in a hundred years? Ten years? Genealogy is about telling our ancestor’s stories because these stories give our soul direction, a base from where we make decisions. By recording their stories, we leave behind our legacy. In making others significant, we are significant. My purpose is to leave behind some of their stories. 

When we go back in time, we realize that no one lives a life in vain. Everyone has a purpose. I am fascinated with the stories of my ancestors and their legacies, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Learning about them and finding my family connection is far more interesting than perusing Facebook to see the glamor shots that people create for themselves. It is within our family roots that we discover who we are. Family connections are one of the most important things in life. I’ve always been fascinated with the thought that I am who I am because of those who have gone before me. I'm here because of their sacrifices, and it is here that I hope to give meaning to their lives. 

On this journey of researching my heritage, I realize how my ancestor's lives were intertwined with the history of this great nation. I feel my strong American ties, and for the most part, I'm a true southern girl. It will be an honor and a privilege to share their stories. It is from these stories that I build my own existence. I will try to do them justice in telling their stories. My mother often said, “Things don’t happen in a vacuum.” She was right. With everything that happens, there is a ripple effect. 

Do we make mistakes in family research? Sure, we do, so I will never claim that what lies among my research is the final truth. I’ve done a lot of digging, striving to prove that what I’ve pieced together is true, but over time, I have realized that some of the puzzle pieces remain to be found.

As all genealogists, I realize that most people are not interested in their very own deep family connections. I'm a bit baffled by that, but there will be someone somewhere along the way that will pick up the banner and carry it forward.  It is for those folks that I find it imperative to leave behind these stories. Hopefully, it will serve a purpose in not only preserving history, but also our family connections.