I don't recall anyone in my family named Lucky or, for that matter, anyone who was particularly lucky. However, I can think of dozens of people who were and are hard-working, honest, salt-of-the-earth folks.
I was fortunate enough to have loving and supportive parents who always believed in and encouraged me. I have funny, compassionate, selfless sisters who are always willing to help someone in need. I was blessed to have an older brother with a fantastic sense of humor; he was buried wearing Groucho Marx glasses because he just had to make us laugh one last time. He had an imagination and talent for innovation that wouldn't quit and a love for "his girls" that was all-encompassing.
When I married my husband, I "inherited" children and grandchildren and couldn't love them more. They've given me such joy over the last 22 years. The many strands that make up the fabric of my family, both past and present, create a tapestry of love and blessings.
Over the 40+ years I have been researching my family, I have been lucky; I prefer to think of it as working hard, asking questions, and having a good instinct for where to look for information. I have innumerable treasures entrusted to my care by family all over the U. S. I believe that if you love the people you are researching, that love is rewarded.
Whether through luck, fate, chance, odds, or divine intervention, I've found long-lost family and family we never knew existed. The most special discovery was that of my cousin, MJ, and her Daddy, George.
Through DNA testing, I discovered the older brother we never knew my Daddy had. What a remarkable discovery that was! It was exciting to see pictures of my Uncle George and my Daddy smiling back at me. I only wish I'd found him sooner, but we believe that Uncle George was waiting to greet his little brother when Daddy passed away a month after making this joyous discovery.
So, while some may think that successful genealogy research consists of luck, it really comes down to love, patience, and being blessed.
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