…you’d better be prepared for them to talk back!
For Monday’s Sixth Day festival, I went to my ancestor shrine and spent some time giving them attention. While I was offering, I rearranged their space a little bit – dusted off some things, replaced the candles, and put out different offering dishes. I poured a substantial amount of water for them. Then, I just sat. I pulled a chair up in front of their shrine and watched the candles burn silently, feeling the comfort of their presence. After 10 or so minutes, I left.
The next day, I got a phone call. Someone in my family managed to trace my family back to a Hessian soldier who defected in exchange for American land during the Revolutionary War! I now know the name of my great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather, who lived in Prussia in the mid-1700s. I find this way too convenient of a coincidence to be coincidence at all.
We have branches of my family tree shrouded in far more mystery than this. I am going to make a point of spending more time with my ancestors in hopes that they will tell me more about themselves!
carrying their light 