INVITATIONS

 When was the last time you recieved an invitation? 

Was it to a wedding or a funeral? A church service or a birthday party? Invitations vary a lot! So do expectations. 

I suppose that is the thing I wrestle with most. 

What does "invitation" even mean? I mean - no pressure, right? You are not required to do whatever is being asked BUT you have been asked to do something - a request has been made. 

At times do you struggle with requests? Or make excuses, perfectly valid of course, but nevertheless ways to avoid or minimize a request? 

When I truly want to accept invitations I seemingly can manage to arrange - or even rearrange - my schedule so that my time, energy, emotion, and money are able to be directed toward what I want. 

Can I do the same for the things others may want or need? 

Is it a sacrifice? Sometimes! Yes, sometimes such changes may involve significant sacrifice. 

Remember our opportunity that arrived a month ago? Well, we recieved an e-mailed invitation for us to each submit 3-4 photos of ancestors. That was the extent of the request!

What? Why?? Purpose? I mean I have 100s - perhaps even 1000s ...

This?

Abraham Day Family Reunion 1877

Or this? 

Lorenzo Hill Hatch

Or randomly either? Or both? 

More information please ... 

Thankfully a link was provided to facilitate my invitation for answers to such questions, and after informing us the photos are "for a presentation we do at the end of orietntation week" we were instructed that "portraits or small family works best. Send people who you know about or mean alot to you."

clockwise: Forsyth Hatch Campbell Bohne

OK! I can do that! I clicked through photos representing each of my 4 ancestral lines, selected some, and emailed them. Funny thing though, I find myself too busy to do many things I want desparately to accomplish but I spent the day scrolling though photos of people that "mean a lot to me."

That is what invitations usually are - to do things that are meaningful, or will be. 

I'm sure I will be able to provide an update AFTER 'orientation week' is completed near the end of next month.