Living in the Now

Sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in our past as fervent genealogists, that we can lose a sense of living in the now.

 Sometimes I know genealogy is taking me over when I find I am having dreams of my dead ancestors. In some ways, hey, that's pretty cool and in other ways, it can be waaaaay creepy!

 So, sometimes it's good for me to take a step back and just live in the now - as John Lennon once sang, "Life is what is happening while we're busy making other plans."

 I used to be a professional photographer, but gave it up to focus more on my drawing and painting skills and to work full time in Commercial Insurance. I still photograph like a crazy person, but now it's more on my terms, and that makes me a happy camper. When photography became work, it was no longer a passion for me. It lost a lot of it's allure for me, especially the editing process.

 In a way, I don't want my genealogy to become a job. I love to just "stumble" across things at a leisurely pace. I love to help others I know also discover their family trees, but not have to sell them on something. Again, taking a step back for a bit allows me to love genealogy as it should be - a fun hobby.

 However, my obsession with old photos - that will probably never subside! And my dreams of dead people, well, they may just continue whether I want them to or not. And, you know what, that's okay. Some of my passed on family and friends are alive for a brief moment and that's a great comfort :)