I stood on my tiptoes and tried to peek into my Great Grandmother’s casket, but I was too short to see inside. I tugged on Daddy’s suit jacket and told him I wanted to see her. Mama was nearby and gave Daddy a look that said, “Don’t do it. She’ll be warped for life.” He picked me up. I looked inside and that satisfied me.
my Great Grandmother with her brothers
Though I don’t remember a lot about Great Grandma, I do have faint glimpses that float across my mind on occasion. She was oldest person I knew at my young age. She was born in 1874. At the age of fifteen, along with her mother, grandmother and brothers, she took part in the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889. At that time her mother claimed to be widowed but in actuality her husband had deserted the family – twice. My Great Grandmother’s grandmother was a Civil War widow who had a “visit” from her husband at the moment he was killed in the Battle of Vicksburg in 1863. I have no trouble envisioning these two “widowed” women along with their children as they raced their loaded wagons into the Great Plains when the shot signaled the start of the rush.
my Great Grandmother’s grandmother 
my Great Grandmother’s mother
The stories of my ancestors have not all been lost to younger generations. I have been fortunate to be in a family of storytellers. They must have understood the importance of passing on their priceless family heritage and spiritual heritage. As a child and an adult, I have never tired of stories of my ancestors. In fact, those stories serve as fuel to keep my love of family history burning.
Since I knew my great grandmother, touching her life is like reaching back to 1874. That is 146 years to date. In my lifetime, I have touched six living generations in my direct line thus far. I’m amazed when I look back at the people who have shaped my life. I can follow the footsteps of those who went before me; footsteps that led me to where I am today; footsteps that have influenced physical and spiritual attributes; DNA fingerprints that determine looks and various characteristics. I leave footprints of my own as my children and grandchildren follow behind looking into the next generation.
I stand in the present with arms outstretched and span the years. To one side, I reach into the past. I can reach back even further through documents and stories that have passed on from one generation to the next. To the other side, I reach into the future. I can reach even further into the future by assuring that family stories and the history of my ancestors are archived for those who follow our footsteps.
Grandfather 
Mother
If only one person in my direct line wasn’t in place, I wouldn’t be here. What if my grandfather had not lied about his age and gone to war leaving behind several of his family members who died in the flu epidemic back home? What if my parents had not moved south when they did? What if? If any of various factors happened along the way, I wouldn’t be telling my story.
Don’t let your family story and spiritual heritage be lost. Tell your story. Pass the torch. Span the years.