Motivation Monday

I am asked, sometimes, what motivates me to keep on searching for the elusive ancestors of our family tree. I have been asked, "Haven't you found out everything, already?"

Well, let me give you an idea of what motivates Me. Now this is simply what keeps me going. What keeps you, or someone else, going may be entirely different! We are, after all, each unique.

What motivates me, is nearly conversation my Dad, who is 79, and I have ends up with him asking the same question, "What did you find out today about the family?" Most days I don't have much to report to him. But on the days I do, he becomes so animated! Like a little child opening a big gift at Christmas! And that means so much to me!

Another thing that motivates me, is my own children. One will call and ask, "Hey Mom, what can you tell me about my great-great-grandfather's brothers and sisters?" I feel like the research manager for a firm, always in the need to research something, or in this case, someone!

 And, then, of course, there's simply me. My own inquisitiveness. Always wanting to find the elusive. Breakthrough the brick walls. (Or at least try to scale it!) I am always wanting to find something new!

Lack of motivation is never my problem! I am always motivated! And ready!

So, exactly what is my problem? Well, the answer is the worst of them all. Plain and simple, it is time. I work a full time job that requires travel. Long hours visiting with clients. And even longer hours putting their information into the computer! It simply doesn't leave me with enough hours into the day to do everything I would like to do!

If I could, I would work genealogy full-time. I did that from 2001 until 2012. Then it's like the bottom fell out of the business. If you can say there's a blame, I don't blame the economy. And what I do blame, is in itself a good thing. I blame it on the easy access of records made available online, and programs that make it easy to search for yourself. Even the untrained can get a fairly well put together family history written, simply by following online guides and examples. And that's a good thing! Everyone should have at least an idea of their roots.

Maybe one day, before I have to think of "retirement", I can actually quit my day job, and go back to doing it full-time.

Well, at least full-time, as in relation to also knitting and crocheting, reading, and writing!