Ancestors & Adoptees: Food for Thought

Oprah had a show on the Fourth of July about all things American. One of her guests, via satellite, was Chris Rock and he shared his thoughts about a PBS show titled African American Lives 2. Famous African Americans had their histories revealed to them by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. He discovered that his great-great grandfather enlisted in the U.S. Colored Troops after being a slave for 21 years and that he went on to be elected into the South Carolina legislature as well as going on to own an unprecedented amount of land for anyone of his time ~ and he was a former slave! Chris Rock was choked up at this revelation and had this to say:

“Until I lucked into a comedy club at, you know, age 20, just on
a whim, I assumed I would pick up things for white people for the rest of my life,” Mr. Rock says. “If I’d known this, it would have taken away the inevitability that I was going to be nothing.” He was also quoted saying: "The things I'm doing with my life, they make sense," he says. "Let's just hope that everybody learns where they come from so their lives can make more sense."

Chris Rock's sentiments really struck a cord. I immediately thought of all the adoptees in the United States who are denied this right ~ like the slaves of yesteryear they are treated as though their identities ~ their roots, their story, their tie to humanity is second-class or subpar.

I love stories, especially history, and I love geneology. Considering the fact I am estranged from my own family it may seem odd that I would take such an interest in my family tree, but maybe my interest is actually because of my lack of connection. It does not mean I want things to be different or that I am "hung up" on some dysfunctional family issues...it is just curiousity and a yearning for connection to the past. With every new family picture I unearth I have so many questions: What was this person like? Do I think like they did? Did they struggle with their faith and ask God "WHY?" in difficult times? What were they passionate about? Who did they love? What were their life lessons? And a million other questions.

I remember laughing when I discovered that my maternal lineage and my paternal lineage both had brave men who fought in the Civil War ~ but on opposite sides! Perhaps that is why my parents never seemed to get along -lol.

Obviously, I will never get answers to the majority of my questions. However, at least I have the right to wonder, ponder, and question. I have the right to sift through my family history, shaking the family tree, and either rejoicing, embracing, or being perplexed by what falls out. Shouldn't every American have that right?