Family Legacy

We are made from 50% of each of our parents, 25% of each of our grandparents, 12.5% of each of our great grandparents. On and on and on. A mix of ethnicity and heritage. A special blend that makes us unique.

Each of these relatives lives on in us. In blood and DNA, but also experiences and memories. In lessons learned and struggles fought. All together making up our ancestry.

The 25% of you that comes from a single grandparent? It’s made from 25% of each of their grandparents as well. They have the same makeup in their lineage, going back as long as your family line has existed. The same mix every generation. Maybe not the exact same ethnicity and heritage, but still a blend that carries on to you today. 

When we think over the life of an older relative – at least the part of their life we got to share – we can see things they did that live on in us. Mannerisms, habits, hobbies, different parts of their character. These things are carried on by us and become part of who we are. Think of how children look up to the adults around them and imitate everything they see. How they idolize the adults in their lives. How could these things not rub off on us?

We learn how to be humans by observing others around us. We see what they do and imitate their words and actions. Kids are parrots. We see our grandparents engaging in an activity and we imitate the activity. Because of this, part of their character is carried on in us. 

But where did our grandparents learn these things from? The same source, the adults around them when they were children. Remember the odd phrases your grandparents used? The habits you noticed as a child? They learned those things from their grandparents. When you use those phrases and carry on those habits you carry on traits from four generations ago, six generations ago, sixty generations ago. One day your grandchildren will do the same. They will look up to you and start using that ism that you picked up as a child.

We are connected to all these previous generations not just by blood. Things they had no idea would be passed on, were. Some things they would be proud of and even a few they might not be so proud of.

How many relics of them live on today? How many relics of us will live on when our great-great-grandchild is mapping out their family tree? There is no way to tell, and that is why these things are so special. They are part of our legacy and the legacy of our families. 

Manners, habits, hobbies, isms, all these things create the uniqueness of each family. They may not have a specific origin but they live on in us. With each generation the previous ones are preserved, and the family group continues to both remember and evolve.