Family History
by Roy Benedek
benedek@anl.gov
A few years ago, I decided to write a short family history. Only one aunt and one uncle remained from my parent's generation, and the time available to acquire family lore from the most authoritative sources was dwindling. I had been in the habit of talking to my aunt regularly on the phone, and the family history became a focus of our conversations.
To complement what I gleaned from my aunt and uncle, as well as a few other sources, I liberally dispensed my own interpretations and extrapolations to fill in the remaining gaps, which were many. I did, however, refrain from any but laudatory comments about relatives either alive or whose nearer kin were still alive. Although such historical compilations are, of course, never "complete" (not to mention accurate), after two or three years of intermittent activity, by which time the text extended to about 45 pages, I was ready to adjourn. I made copies and mailed them to my cousins, about a dozen in all; I have no siblings, and my aunt and uncle, I am sad to relate, had by this time passed away.
The majority of my cousins thanked me for my efforts. Some even offered praise for my writing style, which I eagerly lapped up. Only one cousin, however, showed any interest in rehashing specific aspects of the narrative, which was a bit disappointing. Granted, family history projects are labors of love that should be regarded as their own reward, but, ideally, they are interactive and inclusive ventures. In our busy lives, however, such endeavors tend to be crowded out by more urgent claims on our time.
People are too embroiled in the problems of today, to worry about those of the last century, Santayana notwithstanding. Not to worry. It was its own reward, and I will stick with that.