“In all of us there is a hunger, marrow-deep, to know our heritage–to know who we are and where we have come from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, an emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness.” Alex Haley, What Roots Means to Me, Reader’s Digest, May 1977
I think I know what Mr. Haley is talking about. Just last month my wife and I decided to take a little impromptu trip. That's really not like me. In fact, you could ask my grown kids and they would confirm that. Anyway, I really wanted to spend a couple of days in Snake Valley on the Utah, Nevada border where my Mom grew up. I'd been feeling a really strong need to connect to my roots -- to my heritage. It was surprising how strongly I felt a connection to her and her family as we traveled in the same area where she lived and grew up.
I thought about her life on a sheep ranch in that untamed country. I thought about her visiting Lehman Caves when she was a girl and had to climb down a ladder to get into the cave. I thought about the summers we spent as a family camping at Strawberry Creek in the Snake Valley. I thought about a lot of things.
While we were there, we spent some time in the Great Basin National Park and hiked up to Stella Lake and Lake Teresa. I remembered Mom talking about making that hike and how that was one of her favorite spots. As we hiked I took some pictures. You can see why it w
as one of her favorite spots and why it's now one of mine. It wasn't until I was writing this blog that I realized that this trip helped me connect with both my Mom and Dad. You see, Dad was an avid and gifted photographer. And while I don't have his talent, taking pictures has become a cherished hobby of mine.The more I discover about my heritage, the more I understand myself, and the more I discover about myself, the more I understand them.
Maybe it's just my age, but more than ever, I have a need to know.
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