You know, with all my talk about ax murderers and rat poison the last couple of weeks, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were scared to get involved with genealogy. But all jokes aside, I know plenty of people are scared they might uncover a family secret that upsets the balance of their current family dynamic.

It is a very real possibility.

If you research your family, you very well could uncover an extramarital affair, a secret identity, or you might even find out that one of your siblings isn’t your blood kin after all. There are other possibilities too.

Yesterday, I took my children to the public library. As it tends to happen, I got caught up talking to a lady about genealogy shortly after we arrived. She told me she was scared to start searching for her family because she was sure she would find out some nefarious family secret. Especially one she didn’t want to know.

At the same time, she told me she wished she knew more about her parents, both of whom have passed. In that moment, standing in the library with all kinds of folks milling about, I wanted to tell her that she would find small nuggets of priceless information about her parents and family if she would only start the search. I wanted to tell her that she would feel closer to her parents and grandparents and that it would be a meaningful experience. I wanted to tell her how much fun she would have and how many new friends she would find and cousins she would discover.

Unfortunately, we were interrupted. I didn’t get the chance to tell her any of that.

I’ve already resolved to tell her how amazing genealogy can be, and I will the next time I visit her branch. I’ve already resolved to tell her that ax murderers, rat poison, and family secrets aside, there’s not really anything to be afraid of when searching for your ancestors.

I’ve resolved to tell her that despite my jokes, if she takes the first step, she’ll soon find herself on a truly profound and rewarding journey. If you’ve been on your path for a while now. Keep it up. Share your stories with us. If you’re new, then please, keep at it. Learn new things and discover all the wonder you can find in this amazing field.

Until next time . . . Don’t be afraid to start. Jump in and experience all the wonders of genealogy.