It’s 9/11–Where Are You?

On 9/11 and every subsequent year of the 14 years that have passed by since America changed forever, I have spent the day working on someone’s genealogy.  Usually at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, and in other genealogy libraries.

The first 9/11, I was at the Dallas Public Library Genealogy Room (should say floors) in Lockdown.  Then librarian Lloyd Bockstruck motioned me into the office where he and members of his staff were gazing at the small television screen on the desk in front of them.  And I, too, watched in shock and disbelief at what occurred that day.

Genealogy is a celebration of life for me and a fitting activity to commemorate those who gave their lives voluntarily, by their choices to aid others, as well as those whose lives were snuffed for an ideology that has no respect for life in any form.

This post is typed this afternoon on the computers at the Family History Library where I will spend the rest of the day finding documents to prove family trees. When chaos reigns around us, there is a peace and comfort in the documents of the past. And the lives of those who have gone before us carry patterns that calm and lead us to inspiration.

How grateful I am that the LDS Church has provided this amazing library with records from all peoples and all countries of the world. At their own expense–on microfilm, in printed books, on microfiche, in computer databases, in scans of all these formats–and in comfortable, air-controlled facilities. With printers that can provide a whole book or roll of film or a single, readable page.  Be well.  Your favorite genealogist, Arlene Eakle http://arleneeakle.com

PS Try it–when all the world is chaos around you, work on your genealogy and feel the peace and comfort of your ancestors.

 

This entry was posted in Blog and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.