A Timely, Sweet Reminder

Had an interesting experience today. I gained an even greater appreciation for my mom and her generosity toward others. I also gained a greater understanding of how I need to be about the things she left to me.

My mom is descended from the Dunlavey family. She always struggled with the research she did on her own family lines and spent the majority of her time searching my dad's genealogy because it was so much easier.  Her lines had brick walls that she would hit only a couple generations in.  It was frustrating.

Years ago, I was searching online and found that the only two people who had submitted information to a website on one of my mom's Dunlavey ancestors were my mom and a woman in our stake.  Wow! Small world!  I was so surprised!!!

I immediately looked this woman's number up, called her house and left a message.  I never received a call back.

Today, I saw her at stake conference, so I approached her. I told her who I was (although I've met her a few times) and asked her if she had ties to the Dunlavey family.  Her response caught me a bit off guard.

She said that she had something like 80,000 family members that she'd researched. She was sure that this ancestor that I was referring to was an "off-shoot" line.  In other words, inconsequential....to her.  It was pretty clear that the conversation, at this point, was over.  **sigh**

I thanked her and walked away.

As I walked away, though, I thought of my mom and how she would have responded to such a query.  First of all, she would have welcomed my approach with warmth and a smile.  She would have said, "Oh, I'm not sure of that line, but give me your phone number. I'll go right home and look it up. I'd be happy to share whatever I have with you."

That would have been my mom!  I know because I saw her respond this way over and over and over again to others during my life with her. It wasn't just genealogy inquiries that she handled this way, it was EVERYTHING!

Me and my mom

To be honest, I was a bit sad I had even approached this woman today, but as I exited, I looked at the opposite side of that coin. I became grateful....Grateful to have been raised by a generous woman who loved people.  Funny that this experience, though potentially negative turned out to be such a sweet reminder. Funny that it would be today--two days before her birthday.

My mom with her mom

I'm SO GLAD she was my mom!