Family heritage is more important than ever. In an age where isolation and cynicism are more prevalent than ever before, knowing what it took to ensure one’s existence and understanding the feats and struggles of the past that shape one’s identity are antidotes to this modern outlook on life.
My family heritage encompasses every aspect of America, and since all of my grandparents are the same age, it would be an injustice not to highlight them all.
On my dad’s side of the family, my grandparents have been together and lived in the same small town of Waverly, Ohio, since they were teenagers. Descendants of immigrants who came to America even before the Revolution, my family has documented every member of the Murray line since.
From Scotland to Kentucky to Ohio, from farmers to soldiers, our family has played a part in every major pre-WWI conflict that has shaped the nation and has also contributed to the backbone of this nation through farming cattle. That legacy, those sacrifices, the hard work, everything has been passed down, calling for the next generation to honor, uphold, and surpass all that has been done to give them life.
My pap Cecil and my nana Patty are living proof of a bygone era. Examples of hard work and determination that have embodied the Murray name since the 1700’s. When I see them, I also see everyone who has come before me. Honoring their lives with mine, upholding their values, and surpassing their accomplishments to pass onto the next generation will always influence my life, and making all those before me proud will forever be a goal of mine.
As for my mom’s side, my grandparents couldn’t have been more unlikely to meet. My grandma was born in the small town of Biasca, Switzerland, nestled in the Swiss Alps. As a little girl, she still remembers the village turning off all the lights as the Nazi’s flew overhead so they wouldn’t mistake it for Italy and drop their bombs. Subjected to a rough childhood with a German-speaking mother who abused her and an Italian-speaking father who was a travelling musician, Maia Rossetti always swore she’d eventually marry an American and get out.
Moving to England in her 20’s, she worked as a maid and learned English before returning to Switzerland, where she worked at a gas station on the German border. There she met my grandpa, and her unlikely dream came true.
My grandpa, on the other hand, wasn’t born in such a picturesque place. Born into a very poor family in Hartsville, Tennessee, Jimmy Dalton wasn’t set up to succeed at all. His dad, “Daddy Bus” as he was known, was a raging alcoholic, while his mom, affectionately known as “Mamae,” albeit as poor as can be, was the sweetest lady despite her circumstances.
Knowing he wanted a better life for himself, my grandpa used school as his way out. Graduating from Tennessee State at 16 before enlisting in the Army, he knew there weren’t many chances for him as a black man in America, so he better make good on this one.
Rising through the ranks, my grandpa eventually became a command sergeant major, the highest possible rank for an enlisted soldier. Serving during the Vietnam War, he took part in the 1968 Tet Offensive, earned a Purple Heart, and at one point, was in charge of over 10,000 men.
These two very different paths collided at one point, at a specific time, for a specific reason, and without that one point, my existence would’ve never begun. My grandma’s Ticinese roots, which I proudly represent, and my grandpa’s unrelenting drive to succeed both have immensely influenced who I am today and how I live my life.
In today’s world, isolation and cynicism are king. Technological advances that seem to enter into every crevice of life allow us to connect more than ever before, yet seem to only pull us further apart. In doing so, a sense of purpose is something that many lack as they endlessly doomscroll and search for meaning in a world that is rapidly decaying.
That meaning can be found in family. Tales and stories of the past, the insurmountable obstacles that were overcome, the rousing successes, everything led to you. Embrace your heritage, understand your heritage, and use it to motivate you to either build upon a legacy or right the ship and change it for the better.
All four of my grandparents are defined by sacrifice, grit, determination and improbable circumstances. Their stories aren’t just chapters in a family archive or fleeting memories of generations past, but rather they’re the foundation I stand on. In a world that feels increasingly uninspiring, remembering where I come from and how I came to be reminds me exactly who I’m supposed to be. Heritage isn’t passive nostalgia. It’s direction that is meant to be acted upon. And in honoring the people who made my life possible, I find the purpose so many people spend their lives searching for.
