Know who you are: Build your family tree
People have always been keen to know more about their family heritage. Where did their ancestors come from, who were they, and what made them notable are some of the many questions ache in our minds. Having relatives tell us stories and familiarize ourselves with distant family members is a way to know our roots. However, there is a better way to track your family heritage, i.e., using a family tree to link back with your forefathers.
A family tree (or a genogram) is an excellent way to identify relatives and learn more about your origin. It gives you a great sense of belonging and pride in your family roots. Not just this, but a genogram has many other significances:
Find long lost relatives
A family tree helps you find and connect with people you are related to, but you didn’t know about it. It gives you a reason to bond with distant family members who are a significant part of your family and ancestral heritage. You get to understand the different yet essential relationships that you didn't know existed. Knowing that you might have connections with great leaders in your family can make you feel exceptional and satisfy you to the core. Who knows, you might somehow be related to the president of your country?
Pride in your family
It gives a great sense of delight to know about one's origin. You get a sense of pride when you learn about the struggles your ancestors went through. It also acquaints you with times and situations quite different from yours. You feel proud and fortunate to be related to a family with such an intense survival story through the harsh times.
Acquaint with traditions and stories
Knowing how your ancestors lived, what comforts and hardships they went through can be quite enjoyable. You learn more about your family's prized possessions like songs, traditions, recipes, etc. that cement a stronger sense of identity. Our family narratives help us build our identity, and it not only links us to our heritage; it also helps us strengthen our roots with upcoming generations too.
Connect the past with the future
We give significant meaning to our life when we can make sense of our past and connect it with our future so that when we are no more, future generations can use this family tree and connect with us. Having a record of our own family helps us attach with people in the past and future and keeps our identity and values intact for generations to come.
We learn to become compassionate
As others' shortcomings allow us to become better in performing our life roles as children, parents, humans, etc., we learn from our forefathers' mistakes and help the ones in our family who need assistance. Being open to the mistakes that led to life-changing events in our family line humbles us down to the point where we do not want to commit the same mistakes and help the family members who face hardships, thus strengthening our bond.
You get a sense of self-worth
Diving deeper into family history helps us grow on a personal level. We gain a profound respect for the quality of life we have when we learn about the struggles our ancestors went through. Knowing our ancestors’ suffering helps us achieve more profound self-worth levels, and we value ourselves more.
Contemporary uses of family trees
A family tree can help determine what diseases are common in the family. This can help you take timely precautions, hence preventing unnecessary suffering. The genogram can also provide valuable information that can track the diseases' origin and completely change how it is treated in the family. This can save time when looking for specific treatment and save many lives through early treatment and diagnosis.
Ready to make a family tree?
Without prior design knowledge, putting together a family tree can get tough. You can make a flow chart that goes way back to grandparents and their forefathers, linking you back thousands of years. It can be easily made using the free family tree maker in PosterMyWall to visualize your ancestry and get a jump start at relating to your notable ancestors. This high-quality family tree can be a great home addition and can be set up on a wall signifying the value of your family and its lineage.
So why wait? Jump start by choosing from a wide range of PosterMyWall’s professionally designed templates, add photos, edit, save, and simply download your family tree while saving time and money.
