Watermelon for James
Today (July 23rd) is my Grandpa, James McDougal’s birthday. Grandpa loved watermelon. Many of his descendants will eat watermelon today—in his memory. Some of us will also share pictures on social media using the hashtag, #watermelonforjames
This picture of Grandpa as a young man enjoying watermelon with his traveling companions—along with a 5th grade report he wrote about … you guessed it, watermelon—inspired our now tradition of eating watermelon every year on his birthday.
Grandpa passed away in 1992 and gratefully he was a documenter and saver of things, so we now have lots of detailed information about his life. We have hundreds of photos, documents, notebooks, journals, telegrams and letters—most of which sits undisturbed in the possession of a variety of people. There is still much we can do and learn about James McDougal’s life—and the lives of so many others—but when it comes to family history work, this is what I’ve learned: Whether you have a lot or very little, the most important thing you can do is pique the curiosity of the next generation. It is my children and their children who will continue this effort after I am gone, so part of my job is to bridge the gap between what I remember and know and what they can only know once they desire to dig in. How do we invite interest and connection in our children and grandchildren? It’s EASIER than you think, in fact, there are many small and simple things we can do with very little effort.
“... by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise ... ”
In 2015, I gave a presentation at the annual RootsTech Family History Conference on this very topic and in this episode I share three tips from that presentation.
Remember that ONE brief exchange can forge a lasting connection that generates curiosity in another person. The more we are prepared to simply tell stories, the easier it will be to introduce one generation to another.
Look for clues to tangible items you can use to represent people and relationships in biographical sketches and personal letters. I now keep cookies in a small “honey tin” because I learned that my great-grandmother kept her cookies in one.
You can create physical spaces in your home that will create awareness and spark conversations with family members—photos and household items displayed together are especially effective at inviting the memory of ancestors into your life.
To get started, download and print a 4 generation pedigree chart and begin recording names, dates and details for your parents, grandparents and great grandparents. As you learn about these people, try to discover one thing you can do to bring them into your home. As Dr. Michael Wilcox writes, “We can all enjoy the vast wealth of wondrously lived lives and make such lovely friends … these singular people of the past can move within our minds offering counsel, encouragement, comfort and insight.” (10 Great Souls I Want to Meet in Heaven)
As always, I’d LOVE to hear from you—especially about small and simple things you are doing to honor the memory of those you love and bring family history into your life.
Thank YOU for listening.
I keep my cookies in this honey tin, because great-grandma Minnie kept cookies in a honey tin!
Minnie Hodge McDougal 🍪 The cookie-tin grandma!
Pictured here is my friend, Alyssa who recently posted to Instagram:
Today I wore my grandpa’s old hat at one of his favorite places in the world ❤️ Lake Crescent is one of the most under appreciated and seriously the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to.
THIS is exactly what I’m talking about—a small and simple gesture to honor the memory of people we love!
Learn more about Lake Crescent.
🍉 Here’s the LINK to a video and images of my The Truth About Watermelon scrapbook story!
I started this episode with Watermelon Sugar, by Harry Styles.
