Our Roots

Will and I had a wonderful day last week visiting the Jackson County Fair.  In wanting to offer my son the chance to see my heritage, I had hopes that he too would form his ties to our family past.  Today we struggle at times in passing on our heritage to our children and grandchildren since we live in such a mobile society with few roots.  Not to long ago families did not move very far from the homes in which they grew up.  Several generations lived in one house and so traditions and family history were passed from generation to generation, all found with in the one home.  All contributed to the collective family with each giving valuable and necessary contributions to the family as a whole.  Much of this wonderment has passed into history quietly without notice.  We have lost an integral part of our heritage to the ages, parts of us that make us who we are and have become.  Knowing our family past and the contributions that our forefathers have given, help us to see the part we play in today's world.  We have lost that key to our lives in so many ways today.  Pride in the accomplishments of our fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers and beyond those to generations before them.  I encourage each of you to take time in sitting down with your families, if you have not done so, and relive the history of your family to your children.  Take them to the places where history was made for your family, perhaps then your children and grandchildren too can understand where they as individual members of your family have come.  Perhaps it will give them insight into their futures as well.  

I wanted Will to have similar experiences that I had when I was growing up in Jackson seeing the Jackson County Fair, and with the hopes of meeting family and friends at the fair grounds.  We had a wonderful day celebrating cousin Mike's inauguration into the Speedway Hall of Fame, seeing cousin Ron and his sons, Adam and Tim driving their antique tractors in the tractor parade and visiting with them as well.  We were able to see part of the fair races, visit all of the animal buildings, and see old buildings with mock ups inside them, the way they were set up around the turn of the last century.  Seeing pioneer reenactments and their families and how they lived when the area was first being settled, as well viewing old farm equipment.  One of the pieces on display was a 1917 thrashing machine that I stood on and cut bundles when I was not much older than Will.  Dad and Bobby's steam engine powered that thrashing machine.  Now I can show Will the pictures from the past and he can say one day to his children that he too became a part of history by seeing Uncle Leroy's thrashing machine and his cousins antique tractors on display.  He will show them Dr. Mayo's buggy that he stood in front of, touching an integral part of Minnesota history and that of his family's as well.  Have a great week ahead, Augie