Just gotta share this.....
My family received a priceless gift from my sister-in-law yesterday!
She had a DNA analysis done on my family back in the fall and the results are in.
One by one she handed out gift bags filled with Christmas balls that contained the countries of our heritage. After everyone opened the balls one by one and read the countries aloud, she read the big reveal....the percentages in our DNA and based on those percentages, gave us a glimpse of how we historically came to be.
The smallest percentages were from South Asia...India (what?).
Then, somewhat higher percentages from the middle east. (ok, although to the naked eye we are clearly Caucasian, there is an olive tone to our skin that could make sense here).
Now for what accounts for the higher percentages......
Italy, Greece (always did love saying, "bellissimo") & Western Europe (this I expected....only in higher percentages). Our highest percentage (western Europe) only weighs in at 37%......so I guess you could say I'm a bit of a mutt.
She drew a line on a map beginning in India (smallest percentage) to the middle east (higher percentages), on through Greece and Italy (higher yet), northwest to western Europe (highest)....as the line moves west the percentages rise. You can literally see the emigration path of our ancestors!
What struck me was that these people, these distant relatives, kept moving in search of something better, they didn't settle for the hand they were dealt in life.
So what does this mean for me? I come from a line of people who were brave. They left there comfort zone. They moved away from their homes and families, learned different languages, embraced different cultures, had open minds, and most importantly preserved. Because they did this I get to live the better life they were in search of; a life of freedom, opportunity, and safety. Humbling.....and with this perspective in mind, my life has some added meaning to it. My ancestors did not trek across the South Asia, the middle east and Europe so that I could end up a drunk in the US. No, they did this for a better life and I can't think of a better way to honor that than to live my life and enjoy my life to the fullest (sober), jump at the opportunities that come my way, and give back to the world with a grateful heart.
The other thing that struck me is that I am no one race. None of us are. I would have never guessed I had ancestors from India. We are all from one big melting pot, that makes you, you and makes me, me. We are all one race.....the human race. I pray that one day the world will come to embrace that, lay down our arms, and use them for something more productive......like group hugs
