welcome to the ancestral findings podcast this is episode 234 there
are plenty of reasons for getting involved in doing genealogy however did you also know
that it is a fun fascinating hobby in and of itself today I'll give you some
of the best reasons for getting involved in genealogy it is a hobby you will love
a recent Harris poll revealed that more than a quarter of adults in America do not feel like
they know one or both of their parents as much as they would like to people just aren't asking
the questions of their parents that they would like to and there are several reasons for that
life can just get in the way people get busy and forget to take the time to ask about their parents
lives or maybe they are too shy or embarrassed to ask about personal things or I think their
parents want to keep something secret and won't want to answer however the point is whether or
not American adults feel like they know their parents well most of them do want to know they
are interested and they want to know about things our parents did and believe like the following
their childhood memories and experiences the history of the family their parents remember
which may include people their children didn't know they're romantic and dating history their
work history their life advice and words of wisdom this shows that people have an inherent desire to
know more about their family history via those who came before them learning about family history can
give someone information on what life was like in different times and places it can
let them know stories of interesting things their ancestors did and it gives them a feeling of their
own place in the family with an accompanying sense of belonging the desire to know these
things about one's parents extends to grandparents great-grandparents and all the earlier generations
of people who came together to make us who we are actually asking and getting answers or digging up
the answers ourselves is a huge part of the appeal of genealogy the desire to learn about
family history can be especially strong if parents or grandparents died before a person got to know
them learning about these immediate ancestors helps keep their memories alive and allows you
to pass down this knowledge of long ago people to your own children and grandchildren giving
your descendants a legacy they can have and learn from and share is immensely rewarding
and you will know the information and stories you have collected will be passed down to innumerable
generations beyond you if you are into scavenger hunts and puzzles genealogy is definitely for you
the entire hobby is one giant scavenger hunt for records documents personal information pictures
recollections and more it is a hunt that takes you farther and farther back in time allowing
you to experience vicariously the lives led by your ancestors this is another reason genealogy
is a fun hobby it is endlessly educational you are learning so much more than just things about your
family when you engage in it you are learning about history including customs clothing food
events religion interpersonal relationships and other parts of the ways of life of different
decades and centuries in becoming a genealogist you also become an experienced and knowledgeable
historian if you have a branch of your family that disappeared and you know nothing about
genealogy can bring that branch back to life for you and allow you to connect yourself into it if
a parent disappeared and your other parent did not ensure you kept in touch with that branch
genealogy along with DNA can not only help you learn about the missing branch but it can even
allow you to meet some of those missing relatives and in so doing recognize part of yourself in them
and them in you it is immensely rewarding by doing genealogy you can also create a record of your own
personal history that you can hand down through the generations this ensures your own stories will
be told and remembered for generations to come who doesn't want people a few hundred years in
the future to know who they were and what their childhood and grown-up experiences were like and
how they felt about those things tying your own stories into the overall family history is the
icing on the cake for many genealogists who are creating a permanent record to be handed down
through the succeeding Jenner nations of their family if you are interested in family secrets
genealogy is for you there is hardly a family that doesn't have a secret or two in the most
recent generations while those who came before you lived in different times where certain information
sometimes had to be kept secret for one reason or another you have no such restrictions uncovering
family secrets can be surprising and it can also be endlessly fascinating making your recent or
long ago ancestors come alive as real people to you and your descendants discovering famous
ancestors is always fun go back far enough and almost everyone has an ancestor who has some
claim to fame either in their own local region or even worldwide you may discover ancestors you can
brag about to other people and you may even find that you have an ancestor or a few who qualifies
you to be a member of a prestigious lineage Society you may discover you are distantly
related to a current celebrity you might even learn you are descended from royalty these kinds
of familial connections are more common than you might imagine if you are considering writing a
book about your family history you really want to make the people in it come alive for your readers
whether you are writing the book for family only or for an international audience doing genealogy
research lets you get to know your ancestors well enough to write a brilliantly crafted book
that preserves your family stories while being entertaining to anyone who reads it as you can
see there are many reasons why genealogy is a fun fascinating hobby it is easy to see why so many
people do it what will be your reason for getting started in this engaging and rewarding world
have you ever considered giving back to the genealogical community the community
offers us so much as we contribute to it by giving
back even in a small way next time I'll show you why you should do it
thanks for joining me today I'll see you next time on the ancestral findings
podcast and for further info you can visit us at ancestral findings com