Roots

Many people have to resort to elaborate computer searches to find family. Or some go to their local Latter Day Saints church where they can find an incredible resource to track down their prior generations. Some hire folks to do this work and others have the time to do it on their own.

I feel that a lot of what is to be said about one's roots can be found in the place where they were raised up from childhood. That place for me is Smock, as if you couldn't figure that one out.

Over the time that I have done this little blog, I have had the pleasure of experiencing the occasional surprise by hearing from a relative or friend that I spoke of here. And the one thing constant is that they always dedicate a few lines or a paragraph to "the way it was". It is a constant in these lovely e-mails.

Could it be because they think that reflecting in the past would be appropriate since I do it all of the time? Or are they being polite?

It is my opinion that they do this because they, like me, realize that the past was just simply better than it is today. Oh sure, we know that we cannot change the past and that's good enough for us. And we CAN change today, but the change that we are looking for would take a Biblical force to make things better, so in reality, it would be next to impossible to do that.

All one has to do is leaf through the cable news channels to see how the world is doing today, and if you are from a small town, you would quickly begin to think of better times and invariably, those times are well behind us. Gone with the wind.

Reflecting as I and my readers do on stuff that is well over one's shoulder is sort of a coping mechanism that we use to deal with the things of the present. We all say "Boy, I wish things were like they used to be" but in reality, we know very well that they are not. But we can wish, can't we?

What is beautiful and lovely about these people and their rather skewed backward/forward outlook is that they appear to be able to deal with the present BETTER than those who, for some unfortunate or catastrophic reason, cannot or will not look into the past.

Those of us who cannot reflect on the "good old days" dwell on current events which can then result in fear and anxiety. They have no historical point of reference.

For me, my point of reference is St. Hedwig's Church, a sulphur creek, lots of woods, kids who have dirty faces, Florek's store and Andy Ponzurick, my grandfather. Some say "Bob, you should not live in the past". My advice to them is that they should join me, if but for a little while, and go to that place that means the most. It most certainly helps me deal with the economic and political insanity that we see on the seven o'clock news.

Sir Isaac Newton said that we stand on the shoulders of giants ("nanos gigantum humeris insidentes"). He was referring to the blind giant Orion who carried his servant Cedalion upon his shoulders. My mental image conjured up by this quote shows a much different picture.

We should not live in the past, but we should never forget those latter day saints who have made the past a worthy reflection and point of reference in which to view our present day circumstances.

Thanks Andy.