I have been so fortunate over the last few months to connect with distant cousins I didn't know existed. Our common ancestry has been verified and it has brought me great joy.I continue to explore the missing years, and see pictures of cousins my mother and father did not know they had. They had hoped that aunts, uncles and cousins had survived but did not live long enough to see me make these new connections. I believe we are blessed to know the survivors want to build bridges across the continents. .
As I continue to investigate, research and document my findings, there is one thing of which I am certain.. Gratitude. Gratitude for having found lost relatives, for my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents and all they did to keep our legacy alive. Thank you for your service, your love and your perseverance so that this new generation can continue to learn from each other..
Since I don't have the space to honor all, I hope these few photographs let them know how much I appreciate their lives.
1 comment:
Great blog post, Anna. Connecting with family one hasn't met is always special and something to be thankful for. It's amazing, and humbling, to think of the sacrifices and battles our ancestors fought to just survive. Of course, one has to on this Monday, has to be thankful for your father and my grandfather for what they did serving their country. And, one has to thank your Uncle John for making the ultimate sacrifice on Saipan many years ago.
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