Glam ID

Who am I? Where do I come from? Who are my people? AND is any of my family history romantic, colorful or exotic in any way?

Romance and color -- VERY important.

Back when I volunteered at the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness, I knew a woman who felt she had none. No glam, no glitz. Sue's husband was part Lakota. By comparison her own heritage, to her mind, was devastatingly dull.

I was surprised. All of us, every last one of us, possess fascinating back stories. Truly. Think about it. At the very least our mothers and fathers, grandparents and great grands all lived through some amazing times. Moon landings, World Wars, hippie-dom, disco (!!!), the end of state sanctioned segregation and so much more. No, not all our parents were marching, zipping off to the moon, fighting in Normandy or the la Drang Valley. Still, we live/have lived in amazing times. Maybe ALL eras are amazing. Yup, I expect that’s the case.

My glam identity lacking acquaintance said ‘No, no. That’s not what I mean.’ Huh, what up then?

Grandma in nursing school

Aunt Mamie in nun garb

While her husband could lay claim to being of the idealized, glittering Sioux Nation, she was of mixed, western European descent. A mutt. This was a mega huge disappointment to her.

HEY! I’m a proud goddamn mutt! My mother was of mostly Italian descent (a wee town just north of Bari) but there was a bit of French in there too. Half my father’s family came over from Ireland (Belfast and Killorglin), the other half from southeastern Germany (Black Forest area possibly) but there’s a bunch more in the mix too (some Scots and Austrians, I think).

This isn’t all Dances With Wolves /Last of the Mohicans /Smoke Signals cinematic but it’s pretty damned cool.

I know, I know, where's the romance in the great grandfather accountant who worked for a farm equipment factory in upstate New York? What's so glamorous about a seamstress in early 20th century New Haven, Connecticut? A nun (my Aunt Mamie)? A nurse (Grandma!)?

None of them dressed in buckskins. Not a one of my ancestors sported long black braids. There wasn't a grass dancer in the bunch.

I'm still fascinated even though none of my forefathers would ever be romance novel cover material.

You know, if you can't find fairy tale wonderment, horror, magic and poetry in your family history, well DAMN, you're just not looking hard enough.