| Maybe you are like me, curled up on the couch | | | | your son has dimples or your husband has such a |
| with a nice warm blanket, watching another boring | | | | practical joking side. Traits do run in families so it |
| show on television. You have maybe a cup of tea | | | | is important to know them. |
| or a southern comfort and coke sitting by your | | | | 6. Hereditary illnesses. Now if you learn your |
| side that you occasionally sip. The most intriguing | | | | family tree, this can be life saving. Perhaps you |
| thing that has happened to you in the past month | | | | find out that many in your family had a heart |
| is that there is a new odd sound coming from | | | | murmur or that breast cancer was prevalent in |
| your car when you drive it. You flip through the | | | | your history. Would not knowing this change the |
| channels nothing grabs you; you absently pick up | | | | way you do things today? That little chest pain |
| a magazine and start to read stories on people | | | | might be looked at earlier if you knew your family |
| that have discovered their family trees. Welcome | | | | history. |
| to the world of genealogy, it is time to learn your | | | | 7. Puts your own problems into a new light when |
| family tree, so get ready to feel your heart | | | | you realize the struggles and trials your ancestors |
| beating faster and your imagination totally | | | | went through. These people had hardships and |
| engaged. | | | | what made their DNA up now flows in your blood. |
| What if you found out when you learn your | | | | Draw on it for strength. |
| family tree that your great, great grandfather | | | | 8. You are making a keepsake and passing it |
| was the president of the United States? Or that | | | | down for future generations |
| you come from a long line of slaves? What if a | | | | 9. Bring the past into the present and revel in the |
| past relative did something amazing that you | | | | fact that you are made up of history, good and |
| would be proud to claim in your family history? | | | | bad. |
| Pretty interesting don't you think? I'm not sure | | | | 10. You may just find that someone in your past, |
| why things in our past get lost or sometimes | | | | hid money away in one shape or another. I know |
| even change; I just know that they do. But with | | | | of a man that researched his past and |
| diligence you can learn your family tree. | | | | unbelievably it was found that a man way back in |
| So now is the time to go hunting for buried | | | | the genealogy left some money in a bank for the |
| treasure that only you have the map to. Delve | | | | first descendant to claim and over a hundred |
| into all the scenarios that are about you and your | | | | years later, that descendant turned out to be this |
| family and enjoy. Let's look at what genealogy is: | | | | man. He then claimed over 200 thousand dollars. |
| Genealogy (which comes from the Greek words | | | | 11. Knowing your family history may just give you |
| genea, meaning family and logos meaning | | | | purpose in your present life to walk a little taller or |
| knowledge) is the study of family lineages. Usually | | | | even to become more interesting as you now |
| this is done by collecting names of family | | | | can talk of pretty neat stuff. You could even |
| members (both living and dead) and looking for a | | | | inspire others to search their own trees for any |
| link between them, based on evidence and | | | | loose coconuts. |
| documents. The results of these investigations are | | | | There are two ways to research and learn your |
| then used to learn your family tree. Let us discuss | | | | family tree: one is to do it yourself, this usually |
| the reasons you should learn your family tree. | | | | involves joining a genealogy service and the other |
| You should learn your family tree because it is | | | | is to hire someone with great knowledge and the |
| important for the following reasons: | | | | ability to research and do it for you. There are of |
| 1. If you want to understand yourself better, you | | | | course pros and cons to both of them. If you do |
| must understand where you came from and you | | | | it yourself it will take time to learn your family |
| can only do that if you learn your family tree. | | | | tree, some people chase their history for 40 to |
| 2. You can find lost relatives. | | | | 50 years and it is still not complete. |
| 3. Curiosity is hard to not follow. People just want | | | | It takes patience and lots of it to learn your |
| to know where they came from, who they are | | | | family tree as you will come up against a lot of |
| related to, how they got here. This is especially | | | | stop signs and missed paths. It might help to join |
| true if they are adopted. | | | | a genealogical service to help if you are in a hurry |
| 4. Reconnect with your family. Give them as a | | | | to find the information. Most of all it takes |
| gift all the information you have found. You can | | | | persistence and it can not go without saying that |
| even print it up as a genealogy book and hand it | | | | those that do the research themselves find it to |
| to them on Christmas morning. Everyone wants | | | | be a most pleasant and satisfying hobby. |
| to know where they came from and you would | | | | When you hire someone to do it for you, you |
| be the barer of this most wonderful news. If | | | | know you will get good and correct research. You |
| your relatives are like mine they are spread out | | | | know they can go places you cannot go or even |
| across the whole world it seems. Bring them | | | | know to go and you know the price up front. We |
| together with your discoveries. | | | | are of the now and do it generation so for most, |
| 5. Commonality in traits. Find out why your little | | | | hiring someone to find your family tree is the |
| finger is naturally bent or why at 4 months old | | | | way to go and they find it gratifying. |