When we are young, we don't think about the longevity of our parents and grandparents. It is only until we get somewhere between 30 and 40 that this shares space in our minds. For some of us this happens earlier, and for some, it happen later or not at all.
But one thing is for sure. When our parents and grandparents die, all of the knowledge and history that they possessed, is GONE. The questions that you should have ask are just that now, unanswered questions. So now you wonder who you can go to. You have not been in close contact with other family members, because you wanted to do thing your way, and be on your own. So............now you start asking yourself where can you go to get some answers. You will need to ask yourself some of the following questions. The answers maybe YES or maybe No.
Are there any siblings alive?
Sounds like a no brainer, but not really. Your parent or grandparent maybe the last one in that branch of the family. If there are other family members, they may not be able to recall information.
Are there extended family members that you can get in contact with?
Sometimes family members can drop off the face of the earth. Meaning that they don't want to be found.
Do you have any siblings that you can talk to?
Sisters, brothers, and cousins can be a world of knowledge. Parents share stories with their family members, those that want to know. There may have been someone in your family that loved those stories.
Do you have any obituaries?
Gold mines. So much information are listed in them.
Do you know any of your parents or grandparents friends?
Life long friends can give you a lot of information about family members.
Do you know where they were born?
Sometimes we think we know where a family member was born. But this is not always the case. What you were told and the facts are two different things.
Do you know their birthdays?
Sounds silly right. But not all parents and grandparents tell you the truth about when they were born. My grandmother was 21, for over 60 years. We still don't know if the year she was born is right.
When you cut a tree down, and look at the rings in that tree, it will tell you how old the tree is. I recently experienced the closing of a circle. My Aunt was the last one in her circle, and as others we did not ask questions, now that circle is closed, and all of the stories and knowledge went with it.
