Tell

   I'm visiting with 2nd cousins from Munich, Germany. They were unknown to us for a long time due to a story family used to tell about how their grandmother took offense at something my Dad said to her when his brother, her husband, died the first weeks of World War Two.

We thought they were unwilling to have a relationship with the American side of the family. But, as it is with the telling of stories, the facts were not facts and now we are spending precious time with the children of the children.

Hopefully, we are telling true stories. One which must be told is the story of how last year my brother, on a visit to Germany, was shown a Bible which listed the names of sought after ancestors. We rejoiced to know of Johnann Heinrich who fathered my great-grandfather, Robert. He was the last name on the pedigree chart, forever. No one seemed to know where to look for the next generation. And then without warning, this cousin who we thought did not want to know us, produced these new connecting links. Everyone has family stories and most are true, but I have learned to question the telling of stories which speak of hardness and unforgiving. They might possibly be renewed and changed to telling of connection and rejoicing.

                    I'm writing with a group of wonderful story tellers and today is Five Minute Friday.