Who Inspires You?

Thomas MacEntee asked the question, "Who inspires you?"  Specifically, he asked, “Who inspires you when it comes to genealogy and family history?”  I thought about this on the way to work yesterday and came up with a lot of names and a lot of thankfulness.  I expanded the question in my head to who inspires all parts of me, even the non-genealogy parts. 

Different people inspire me for different aspects of my life.  The Livermore-Amador Genealogical Society inspires me to learn more so that I can share more.  My children's 4-H club inspires me to perform community services and better help  others.  My husband inspires me to be more artistic and to be a better person.  My children inspire me to love and listen and learn.  My fellow online genealogy world friends inspire me to continue seeking and sharing my genealogy story.

But who really inspires me?  Who makes me think and be proud and wonder at life in amazement?  My ancestors.

They came from everywhere and through everything and yet here I am.  I can complain and worry and fret, but then I can remember that they had it harder and yet here I am.  Nothing can ever be that bad when you have generations of experience behind you, pushing you to just keep going.

They call to me with a story to tell.  Once I hear the story, another calls to me to hear theirs.  It is those calling ancestors that inspire my genealogy.  They want me to look for and find a birth, a death, a marriage.  A story. Something.  Anything.  They keep me going and keep me wondering and keep me looking.

My current ancestor of inspiration is my dad.  I miss him every single moment of every single day, but I know what he is calling for me to do is finish all those stories I started before he left so that I can hurry the hell up and get to him. 

Soon, Dad.  It is Family History Writing Challenge month, you know.