3 Questions About Genealogy and Telling Time Without Math

Recently, I was interviewed by Family History Research students and asked 3 specific questions. What do I like about Digital Archives? What are the challenges in Genealogy Research? What made me decide to go into the genealogy business. As I crafted my responses, I realized that there was one particular theme for me in my work and genealogy. I am giving people and places back to the communities and people who love them.

Preservation of historic photographs and documents into a digital format is more than just preservation to me. It is a way for the organizations I work with to provide the glimpses, details, and even long-lost identifications, back to the present world. I adore the investigative nature of the process. It makes me tick. Once that process is done, it allows me to present the item with the information and share it with people who have been searching for it.

My genealogy business is the same. I enjoy the investigative nature of the job. I am good at it. I feel that it is okay to tell people that, because I am also willing to tell you what I am bad at…like sports involving balls and having to tell time in my husband’s police car. He has the clock set to military time. (Is it REALLY necessary to do math just to tell time?) I am good at genealogy because I have an eye and memory for detail.

But all of those things, I realize, fall under one especially important theme for me. Digital Archives Preservation and genealogy allow me to give back the past and people to the communities and people who have loved and lost them. It is a service. To me, anyway, it is a service. I have seen patrons, clients, people, time and time again, overwhelmed with joy, humility, honor at finding their loved ones. I am happy to be a part of that process.

So, I hope that the Family History Research students were able to understand why I enjoy what I do. I am thankful that I am able to do it. I love giving people back to the people who love them.