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Heritage is Cool, But Have You Ever Tried Becoming a Better Ancestor?
My thoughts on ancestry, heritage, and hope for the future
My DNA results aren’t even back yet, and I’ve already pulled an advocate for women’s education and a persecuted witch hanged in Salem as distant relatives. Surprised, I am not. After all, there has to be some kind of genetic inheritance that explains who I am. In a world of generational wealth, I got dealt generational trauma, but I think there are also gifts in the complicated mix of ancestry.
In fact, I hear whispers of a great-grandmother who might have dealt in spell craft before my more conservative family members hushed that sort of talk. And why not? Why shouldn’t I come from wise women and not just careless men? If I can have a biological grandfather who was an undeniable horndog with questionable views of loyalty, why can’t I have women in the blood line who contributed more to the line than being vessels for that line to continue?
I find history and heritage interesting but not in that Old South way of clinging to a Confederacy that was traitorous to our country (and bigoted to boot). I just think it’s interesting to know where I come from and what people came before me. I’m sure they won’t all fill me with pride, and I’m just waiting to come across the first one to fill…
