The Routes
of
Our Roots
The Routes of Our Ancestors Form the Roots from Which We Grow
The routes of the lives of countless individuals,
lived over countless decades,
all lead directly to you.
Long before we draw our first breath, the story of our lives already has a setting — a rich, complex backdrop built by generations of choices, struggles, triumphs, heartbreaks, and dreams. Each of us is unique, yet also a fascinating collage of all those who came before us.
Our two parents, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents, sixteen great-great-grandparents, and so on… Each one leaves a faint fingerprint on who we become. If one man hadn’t made the daring choice in 1705 to leave England and start fresh in the New World, I wouldn’t exist. One decision — made eleven generations ago by one of 2,048 people who ended up being my ninth great-grandparents — determined that I, and thousands of others, would one day come into being.
Of course, someone who lived 300 years ago probably didn’t pass down much of their personality, or even their DNA, to me. But the same can’t be said for the four people I called my grandparents — or even their grandparents before them. Their choices, hardships, and quirks ripple through my life.