Ancestors of Blood and Spirit

My Dad called me recently to share that my Aunt Janice, one of his two sisters, had
passed away. This news was sudden and jarring, mostly because I was expecting news
like this to be about my uncle (Janice’s husband), who lives with Alzheimer’s disease.

I have found myself thinking lately about my ancestors of blood and spirit, and this all
came to mind as I heard the news of Janice’s passing. The phrase “ancestors of blood
and spirit” is one I learned from attending some of our Druid rituals at church. As I think
of heritage, I think about my ancestors of blood and spirit. My family of origin has given
me a heritage of love and pain blended, with many stories shared over the years of my
family’s triumphs, trials and tribulations. These stories make up most of the fabric of who
I am, however so do my ancestors of spirit.

I consider my ancestors of spirit to be those who have shared their spiritual journey with me, both in the past and at present. A few key people in my life have the honor of being both ancestors of blood and spirit. We may not have shared the exact same spiritual path of belief, but the bond of love and stories we share hold us together through life’s storms.

That is spirituality at its finest in my book.

~Jen Garrison