Ancestral Reflections on Christmas
Christmas is typically a time when families come together for gifts, food, fun, and fellowship. There’s nothing like the joy of watching young children open their gifts from “Santa”. There’s excitement in the air. Even the children’s eyes are smiling. As I awakened this morning, I began to reflect upon what Christmas may have been like for my ancestors. My more recent ancestors didn’t have much in terms of money. The kids would look forward to things like apples, oranges, and nuts. That doesn’t seem like much by today’s standards of giving. However, they were happy with what they had.
I began to reflect a little further back to those older generations. What were their beliefs? Did they even believe in Jesus Christ? Did they believe in some other higher power? What were their customs? As a person of African American descent and due to the cruelty of slavery, these are questions that I may never know the answers to. In most cases, adequate familial records were not kept on the enslaved.
I’ve been diligent in my quest to find my ancestors and learn more about their life journeys. In doing so, I’ve learned more about myself. I’ve not only learned where certain physical attributes come from, but also what makes me tick. I’ve gained an understanding of why I do certain things and have made some of the choices that I’ve made. Knowledge is power. Knowledge of your ancestors is healing. The ancestral journey has been one filled with many emotions. I’ve laughed. I’ve cried. I’ve been angry. I’ve been proud. Even though it’s been an emotional roller coaster, there could not have been a more fulfilling journey for me.
Christmas is the time set aside to reflect upon and celebrate the birth of Jesus. For some reason, I can’t help but think about the fact that in some ways, my ancestral journey has me feeling like I’ve been reborn. By gaining an understanding of the people who brought me into being, I have a greater awareness of self. I want to live a life that would make them proud.