By Angel Blair

I’ve been thinking about family a lot lately. As time passes and the years roll by, I find myself missing those I’ve lost with growing heartache and longing for family history that will never be completely whole. There are so many questions I still have – gaps in time and incomplete stories that leave only trails of puzzlement now.

Having children has amplified this realization. And it’s funny because growing up, I never truly realized how greatly my family’s history, culture, and values would influence me and how I would raise my own children one day. Or how I would long for family tales and retellings of past stories. But you don’t think about these things when you’re young. We naively think our family will live forever and that they’ll be there when we have questions or need support and guidance for the paths we’re trying to forge. Sadly, this isn’t reality, which is why it’s so important to explore family roots and culture while we have the opportunity and chance to do so.