To know where you are going, know where you came from

My reasons for diving into finding my genealogy has changed over the years. When I first discovered that a great-grandfather had researched one of our family lines, I was intrigued and curious. Later, I loved to share the family stories with my son, and eagerly sought out as much as I could. These days, I crave a connection to people who came before me, and am fascinated by the connections to history.

My mother occasionally told me family stories, but I have since found out that they were all wrong. Not one story was true. The actual stories are way more interesting. My grandmother had stories, but I was too young to remember them.

I yearn for a deeper connection to the past, to ancient traditions and values, and to know where I come from. Unlike those who have known since birth their identity and heritage, I felt like I was plucked out of space and put onto this planet. 

But now I know more.

It's a basic human need to want to know where you come from and who your people are - no matter what you find out. This is the same force that drives foundlings and adoptees to find their birth parents. It's a path to discovery about who you are and what is your heritage.

Another part of this journey is discovering traits of my ancestors that I find in myself. That's when you realize what part you play in the "nature vs nurture" argument. Occupations are revealed, validating interests, job choices, and hobbies. Health issues can often be realized upon discovering how some of your ancestors lived and met their end.

I have been able to pass on a legacy of family stories that are certainly more accurate, entertaining, and informative than those I received. This has become one of my life purposes, and is important for current and future generations.

I have been able to connect with extended family members that I never knew existed, albeit most of them virtually. My view on humankind has been expanded beyond my original nuclear family. I have been able to spiritually connect to my ancestors, imagining what advice they could give me and wondering what they would think of me and the world today.

I have also learned that we are all related, if we go back far enough. I have uncovered the basic values of living a worthwhile life: be honest, be compassionate, have integrity, don't kill, don't steal, don't gaslight, don't stop learning.

Castles in my Family - Hedingham Castle

Hedingham Castle, located in the charming village of Castle Hedingham in Essex, is considered the best-preserved Norman keep in England. The castle’s fortifications and outbuildings date back to around 1100, with the keep being built around 1140. Although most of the medieval structures have not survived, the keep remains mostly intact, missing only two turrets.

William the Conqueror awarded the manor of Hedingham to Aubrey de Vere I by 1086. The Domesday Book records that he held the manor of Hedingham by 1086, and he ordered that vineyards be planted. The de Vere family then built the castle in the late 11th and early 12th centuries, completing the keep in the 1130s and 1140s. To make space for the castle, a large ditch was cut through a natural spur extending westward into the Colne Valley, creating a ringwork and inner bailey. An outer bailey extended further into the valley, reaching what is now the modern village of Castle Hedingham. Today, the stone keep stands as the only surviving medieval structure.

See also https://www.hedinghamcastle.co.uk/.