When we came in last night from our visit with friends, we began going through our usual getting ready for bedtime routine. One part of this for me is a final check for book sales and clearing the email.
There were no new book sales to be processed and after clearing the inbox, the only thing remaining for me to finish was to dump the junk email folder. And there it was.
It was a message from a family member living and working in Europe.
She had seen my blog of October 22 in which I had written of my grandfathers. Evidently she was doing genealogical research and came across the names of all my grandfathers. They are, after all, a unique set of men – most having Spanish first names combined with the last name of Clark.
In a flurry of emails which literally flew half way around the world, we were able to reconnect and share memories which were 50 years old. From one memory, another would spawn, and then another from the first two.
In years past, how could this have ever have been possible?
The Internet has proved its worth merely in helping families and friends reconnect and maintain connections. As we waited for the next email to arrive from Europe, Ardis and l discussed how small the world had become.
As we talked, the computer “pinged,” heralding a fresh, new batch of memories which became illuminated at the prodding of words from a cousin on the other side of the world.
I followed this up with a telephone call to another cousin here in the United States. More shared memories. Days in Bradenton, times in Tampa, childhood memories from and of Havana. It was as if the memories could not stop flooding from somewhere in the dark recesses of my mind. They just kept coming. More and more memories.
I find now that as I grow older, some of the things my father told me are indeed, true. One thing he said standing out in my mind now is the fact we truly don’t own anything we have here on this earth; we are merely using it for the short time we are here. I am also discovering that as I age, the smaller this huge planet actually becomes.
I also realize we, all of us, are one. Somehow, I find and believe even more every day, we are kin to one another.
With a little more genealogical research, maybe one day I can prove it.
-30-
© 2010 J. Clark
Pingback: Wow! Thanks! |