Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Genealogy New Year's Resolutions!

HAPPY NEW YEARS!


The New Year is a time of looking back as well as forward. Before I share my Genealogy New Year's Resolution for 2016, let's take a look at what my resolution was for 2015.

I resolved to finish my lineage society application for the The Society of Civil War Families of Gallia County. And to forgive myself for not completing it in 2014, when I first made that resolution.

Certificate & pin for the Society of Civil War Families of
Gallia County.
And I did it!!  I completed my application and sent it in, receiving my acceptance in April of 2015.

Yeah me!

 I also completed the application to the Ohio Genealogical Society's Society of Civil War Families of Ohio and that application was also accepted. Whew! Their criteria is a little more stringent than most and I was sweating that one!

I attended the Gallia County's Lineage Society Banquet in October, combining the trip with research. That research gave me the proof I need to apply for First Families of Gallia County and also of Ohio.

So I kept the first part of my resolution. What about the second part, the part about forgiving myself?

Well....

Mostly, I have forgotten the guilt of not keeping the resolution in 2014. It is lost in the flotsam on the ocean of my many, many good intentions that go unfulfilled. The birthday phone calls that I don't make, the condolence cards that don't get sent. The little gift to show someone appreciation for an act of kindness. These other missed opportunities weigh much more heavily on my mind than a self-imposed deadline for a lineage society application.

I will admit that I am still working on learning to forgive myself. As I remind my family and friends when they are being too hard on themselves, would you be so hard on someone else or your children, who had a momentary lapse in kindness?? Probably not.

So one of my resolutions for 2016 is to continue to work on being kinder to myself as well as to others. It is a worthwhile goal and one I hope to never give up in my lifetime.

How about you? Will you resolve to be kinder to yourself as well as others?


Next Week - Genealogy New Year's Resolution for 2016!

No comments: