Reflection: A Branch on the Family Tree Wilts and Dies...

When I die so does the branch of my family to which I belong.

That was the strange thought that came to me earlier today as I was tidying up some old paperwork in a box we'd gotten from my mom's house, many years ago.

Maybe that sounds a bit somber, but what it actually means is simply that as a result of a number of generations of my family having either childless marriages or having only female children, we have now arrived at a point where there simply isn't anybody left to carry on ”our name.”

Although I periodically refer to ”our children,” technically speaking our three adult kids are Mrs. Denmarkguy’s from her previous marriage.

To be honest, I'm not losing sleep over it.

However, it seemed to be an issue that was of much greater concern to previous generations than it ever has been to me.

To be honest, there isn't much of a ”family tradition” to carry forward. If my family ever had a ”period of greatness” it happened back in the early 1900's and then again in the 1950s and 1960s... but not much has happened since then. As for myself, I am neither ”important” nor ”famous” in the world. I don't have much of a "mark" to leave behind.

Maybe that's a pretty nihilistic approach to life, but I still just don't see the big deal.

It all makes me think about how values change with different generations. In the old days, such concepts as "carrying on the family line" were very important to people. But who are we trying to "make happy?"

Moreover why does it matter whether a living and active human being is named "Smith" or "Gonzalez" or "Nguyen?"

As you might be able to tell by now, I did not come from a close-knit family! We were pretty much spread out all over the world, from Denmark to Australia to Belgium to the UK to the US. In a strange twist, I actually have (distant) relatives here in Western Washington state... who left Denmark in the 1910's.

Anyway, thanks for reading my little ramble, and have a great remainder of your weekend!

How about YOU? Do you come from a close family? Are there lots of people with your surname, or just a few? Leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

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Created at 20210522 23:50 PDT
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