As someone who is easily overwhelmed, I balance work and home by keeping the two completely separate.
My home is centered around peace, rest, and comfort. I do my best to not bring any thoughts or duties from work home with me at the end of the day.
And at work, it’s easy to long to be home and feel like the clock goes slower and slower as each hour passes. But I’ve found it helpful to focus solely on work duties while on the clock and push home worries (housework, what to make for dinner, etc.) to the back of my mind to deal with when I actually am home.
I’ve found this beneficial for limiting stress and organizing the things I have control over.
Since I was a child, I’ve always been fascinated by genealogy and family history. I’ve used the site Ancestry for years to build my family tree and learn more about my familial history. I believe each generation in a family has a person that takes on the role of family historian; I took over for my late grandmother. I have many stories and findings I plan to share, and here is my most recent.
Taken May 2023; I left flowers for him.
I was stunned to discover via online records, that one of my distant ancestors lived and is buried very close to where I currently live!
Captain Johann Daniel Little (my maternal 9th-great-grandfather) was one of the earliest settlers in Rowan county, NC. He was a German immigrant who migrated to Maryland, and eventually made his way down to Salisbury, NC. Unlike many German settlers, he was fluent in both German and English, which allowed him to enter the role of Constable for Rowan county in 1756. He also served in the militia during the French and Indian war. And he was the first person buried in the Old English Cemetery, as mentioned on the additional stone.
I just find this absolutely fascinating, so I wanted to share. Who knew I’d end up living in the same town that my own ancestor did nearly 300 years later?
I’m glad I was able to visit and leave flowers. I take my job as the family historian very seriously, as it is up to us to keep the history and memory of those who came before us alive.
I look forward to sharing more family history as I continue on writing.
A.P. Bensler Blog 