You are the family's historian. You've spent years or perhaps even decades of your life researching family ancestors and digging up documents, photos, articles and stories about the people that came before you. You write about these people, and maybe even publish a book or a blog related to your family's history. Although you find all of these ancestors and their stories so interesting, it seemingly appears that few other people share your interest and perhaps don't even care to know anything about the past.
And even among other genealogists and historians, maybe you have an idea for a project or website or class or field trip and you pitch it to your local historical or genealogical society. But, in the end, the group decides to put its resources towards other endeavors, and your request goes unfulfilled.
Experiences like these can make us question our work, question why we spend so much time and money researching people who are dead. (Because as alive as they may seem to us, the reality is that they are gone.) Personally, I am in a 'genealogical funk' right now, wondering why I spend so much time on my and my husband's ancestors when I could be reading more books or keeping a cleaner house or learning how to cook better. I have lost some enthusiasm for 'digging up the dirt' and writing about it on my blog. It's almost as if I don't know in which direction to move, and I'm sort of frozen in my indecision. And this feeling of 'All this doesn't matter' keeps permeating my thoughts and further adds to my apathy.
Have you ever been discouraged or disheartened during your genealogical journey? What has helped you recharge your ambitions and regain your enthusiasm for genealogical research?
©2014, copyright Emily Kowalski Schroeder
And even among other genealogists and historians, maybe you have an idea for a project or website or class or field trip and you pitch it to your local historical or genealogical society. But, in the end, the group decides to put its resources towards other endeavors, and your request goes unfulfilled.
Experiences like these can make us question our work, question why we spend so much time and money researching people who are dead. (Because as alive as they may seem to us, the reality is that they are gone.) Personally, I am in a 'genealogical funk' right now, wondering why I spend so much time on my and my husband's ancestors when I could be reading more books or keeping a cleaner house or learning how to cook better. I have lost some enthusiasm for 'digging up the dirt' and writing about it on my blog. It's almost as if I don't know in which direction to move, and I'm sort of frozen in my indecision. And this feeling of 'All this doesn't matter' keeps permeating my thoughts and further adds to my apathy.
Have you ever been discouraged or disheartened during your genealogical journey? What has helped you recharge your ambitions and regain your enthusiasm for genealogical research?
©2014, copyright Emily Kowalski Schroeder
