Discover Your Heritage- Carenna at Harvard

Discover Your Heritage💚

Have you ever found yourself wondering about the people who came before you, your grandparents, great grandparents, and the lives they lived long before you were born? For many of us, those questions get postponed by careers, responsibilities, and the sheer busyness of raising families. Retirement, however, offers something rare and precious: time. And with that time comes a unique opportunity to rediscover who we are by exploring where we came from.

Researching your family tree can begin as a casual curiosity and quickly become a deeply moving journey. Names on old documents transform into real people with real struggles, triumphs, and migrations. You may learn that your ancestors crossed oceans with little more than hope in their pockets, or that they worked the same land for generations before history pushed them elsewhere. These stories don’t just belong to the past, they live quietly within us.

For some retirees, the journey goes beyond research and becomes a pilgrimage. Visiting your family’s homeland can be profoundly awe-inspiring. Imagine standing in a village church where your ancestors were baptized, spotting your family name etched into a weathered gravestone, or seeing an ancient crest displayed on a castle wall that once represented your lineage. Even something as simple as encountering your last name on a street sign can send a shiver down your spine, a reminder that your life is part of a much longer human story.

If you’re not sure where to begin, modern technology has made discovering your heritage easier than ever. DNA testing services can provide detailed ancestry reports, offering insights into your ethnic makeup and pointing you toward regions your family likely came from. While no test can tell the whole story, these tools often spark meaningful questions and guide further research. They can also connect you with distant relatives you never knew existed, sometimes on the other side of the world.

What makes this exploration especially meaningful later in life is perspective. With the urgency of ambition behind us, we can approach our heritage not as a project to complete, but as a story to savor. Understanding the sacrifices and choices of those who came before us often brings gratitude, humility, and a renewed sense of belonging.

Discovering your heritage is more than a hobby. it’s an act of remembrance. It roots us in something larger than ourselves and reminds us that our lives are chapters in a long, unfolding narrative. Prepare to be surprised, humbled, and even awed by what you discover. The past may be behind you, but it has a remarkable way of illuminating the road ahead.

Meanwhile, Here's the AI Overview on this Topic:

Discovering your heritage is 

a journey that combines personal stories, historical records, and genetic science. In 2026, the process is more accessible than ever through digitized archives and advanced DNA technology.

1. Start with Yourself and Your Family

The most reliable information begins with what you and your relatives already know. 

• Interview Relatives: Speak to your oldest living relatives. Ask about full names, birthdates, locations, and family legends.
• Search Your Home: Look for family bibles, letters, scrapbooks, and military certificates.
• Record Details: Document names, dates, places, and relationships to serve as the foundation of your search. 

2. Build a Family Tree

Using a digital platform helps organize your research and offers "hints" based on other users' data. 

• FamilySearch: A completely free, massive database where users collaboratively build a global family tree.
• Ancestry: A leading paid service (with free trial options) that offers over 40 billion records and highly intuitive tree-building tools.
• Findmypast: Excellent for tracing British, Irish, and Commonwealth roots. 

3. Utilize Historical Records

Once you have names and dates, verify them using public documents. 

• Census Records: Federal censuses (like the 1940 and 1950 records) provide snapshots of where your ancestors lived and worked.
• Vital Records: Birth, marriage, and death certificates are essential for confirming family links.
• Immigration Archives: The Ellis Island Passenger Search allows you to find relatives who arrived at the Port of New York.
• National Archives: Archives.gov provides extensive resources for military, land ownership, and naturalization records. 

4. DNA Testing 

DNA tests can reveal ethnic origins and connect you with living cousins who share segments of your DNA. 

• Autosomal DNA: The most common test (e.g., AncestryDNA, MyHeritage) traces both parental lines back about 5–7 generations.
• Y-DNA and mtDNA: Specialized tests (available at FamilyTreeDNA) trace direct paternal or maternal lineages much further back in time.
• Ancient Past: Services like MyTrueAncestry allow you to upload raw DNA data to compare your genome with archaeological samples. 

5. Professional & Local Assistance

• Genealogical Societies: Local groups often hold unique physical records not yet available online.
• Hire a Professional: If you hit a "brick wall," organizations like the Association of Professional Genealogists or Legacy Tree Genealogists provide expert help for a fee. 

Personal Note:

I have searched my ancestral roots from both sides of My Family- My Father's side ( C(K)atague and My Mothers's side ( Balleza). My findings are documented in my blogs below.

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2016/06/my-great-great-grand-parents-were-don.html

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2021/07/my-balleza-ancestry-on-my-mothers-side.html

I also did searched the ancestral roots of my wife maternal side of the family ( The Nieva's): 

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2015/07/chapter-4-ancestral-roots-of-nieva-clan.html

My Photo of the Day:

My Bonzai Plant has 3 small white Flowers.. Do you see the mini-white flowers? 

💚Speaking of Heritage, I am super proud to post this photo of my youngest Grand Daughter, Carenna Katague Thompson: 

 

Proud of Carenna- at the National Collegiate Research conference at Harvard.

Carenna will be graduating this May with Highest Honors ( Summa Cum Laude). I plan on attending that day.   

   

Personal Reflections on Near-Death Experiences Stories

This posting is inspired from my recent Viewing of the TV Documentary, Beyond the Grave by Serena DC in the Gaia Channel.   

Touching the Edge of Life: Reflections on Near-Death Experiences

In recent weeks, I found myself absorbed in watching and reading about near-death experiences, or NDEs those mysterious moments when a person is clinically near death yet returns with vivid memories of what they felt, heard, or saw. These accounts come from people of different cultures, ages, and beliefs, yet the themes are surprisingly similar: a sense of peace, a tunnel or pathway of light, presence of loved ones, life reviews, or an overwhelming feeling of love and clarity.

For someone in the later chapters of life as I am now, these stories naturally resonate more deeply. They invite not fear, but reflection. They remind us that death is not only an ending, but also part of a much larger journey we rarely pause to contemplate.

A Moment Outside of Time

One of the most common elements in NDE stories is a feeling of leaving the body and observing the scene below. People describe it not as frightening, but oddly serene, like stepping out of a heavy garment. They speak of timelessness, as though they had entered a realm where clocks no longer mattered. Some recount hearing music unlike anything on earth, or encountering a warm, loving presence.

What struck me most is how impossible these experiences are to capture with ordinary language. Many say, “I don’t have the right words,” or “It was real, but not in the way this world is real.” It reminds me that the spiritual truths we seek do not always fit neatly into the vocabulary we use for daily life.

The Life Review: A Mirror of the Heart

Another recurring feature is the “life review,” a kind of panoramic replay of one's life. But instead of a judgment, people describe it as an understanding, a chance to see the meaning of choices, relationships, kindnesses offered, and hurts inflicted.

What stands out in these accounts is that the most important moments are rarely the grand achievements. Instead, they highlight small acts of compassion, a comforting word, an apology given, a meal shared. In short, the pieces of life that reveal who we truly are.

This aligns with what I have come to believe: our lives are measured not by what we accumulate, but by the love and connections we cultivate.

A Sense of Purpose on Returning

Nearly everyone who returns after an NDE does so with a changed outlook. They become less afraid of death and more appreciative of life. They speak of a renewed sense of purpose whether caring for others, living with integrity, or simply being present in each moment.

For some, it becomes a spiritual awakening. For others, a reminder of unfinished work. And for many, it leads to a deeper understanding that every day we wake up is another chance to shape the legacy we leave behind.

What NDEs Teach Us About Living

Whether one sees NDEs as spiritual truth, neurological phenomena, or something in between, they offer valuable lessons:

• Life is brief, but meaning is abundant.

• Our connections with others matter more than anything else.

• There is more to existence than what we can measure or prove.

• Death, when it comes, may be far gentler than we imagine.

In my own reading, I found comfort in the idea that the transition from life to whatever lies beyond is not a cliff but a doorway, one that many describe as filled with peace, love, and light.

A Personal Reflection

At this stage of my own journey, living with a serious illness and looking back on almost nine decades, I find that NDE stories do not frighten me. Instead, they bring a quiet reassurance. They echo the belief I’ve carried for years: that when our time comes, we will be welcomed, not abandoned; embraced, not forgotten.

And perhaps, in that great moment of release, we will understand what truly mattered all along.

Here's the AI Overview on the above Topic:

"Touching the Edge of Life" 

likely refers to the profound, transformative experiences known as Near-Death Experiences (NDEs), characterized by out-of-body sensations, tunnels of light, encounters with divine beings, and intense feelings of peace, often leading survivors to lose fear of death, gain spiritual insight, value love, and focus on purpose, as explored in books, scientific studies (like those by Bruce Greyson and the National Institutes of Health), and personal accounts on platforms like YouTube and Quora. These reflections suggest NDEs reveal a common spiritual narrative, challenging materialistic views and offering hope for a conscious afterlife, say researchers like Dr. Bruce Greyson and the author of a psychology today article. 

Common Themes in NDE Reflections:

• Out-of-Body Experiences (OBE): Feeling separated from the physical body, sometimes observing events from above.
• Tunnel & Light: Moving through a dark tunnel towards an intense, loving light or divine presence.
• Life Review: A panoramic review of one's life, often with insights into consequences of actions.
• Cosmic Unity & Peace: A profound sense of oneness with the universe and overwhelming feelings of love and peace, transcending ego.
• Spiritual Encounters: Meeting deceased relatives or divine/spiritual beings, as noted by researchers at the University of Virginia.
• Ineffability: Difficulty in describing the experience using ordinary language. 

Impact on Survivors:

• Fear of Death Loss: Many lose their fear of dying, believing in an afterlife.
• Spiritual Growth: Increased spirituality, focus on love, service, and purpose.
• Life Transformation: Renewed appreciation for life, leading to changed priorities. 

Perspectives on NDEs:

• Spiritual/Religious: Viewed as evidence for soul survival and an afterlife, often aligning with faith.
• Scientific/Neuroscientific: Explored through neuroscience (e.g., brain activity during hypoxia), but still debated, with some researchers seeing parallels to mystical experiences described by William James, say experts at the National Institutes of Health. 

In essence, "Touching the Edge of Life" captures the essence of these experiences as profound bridges between life and death, offering deep lessons about existence and consciousness, as seen in various online discussions and videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFJqsXHtslY, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSDQWuTqDFQ, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94DiIktpYV8, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1490859233, and forums like Quora and Facebook www.quora.com

https://www.freejupiter.com/researchers-studied-life-after-death-and-what-they-found-could-change-everything/

Tonight, The Moon Meets Saturn and Neptune

Tonight - January 23 | Moon Meets Saturn & Neptune

Look up tomorrow evening for a beautiful triple conjunction in the sky! The Moon, Saturn, and distant Neptune will appear close together, creating a peaceful and eye-catching celestial scene.

What to look for: • The Moon and Saturn will be easy to spot with the naked eye

• Neptune will be very faint, binoculars or a telescope needed

• Best viewed just after sunset, low in the western sky

This rare alignment is perfect for skywatchers, photographers, and anyone who loves the night sky. Don’t miss this cosmic smile in the heavens!

My Reflection: When the Sky Smiled Back at Us

Tonight, January 23, 2026, the night sky offers something rare and quietly profound: a slender crescent Moon rising beneath Saturn and Neptune, forming what many have already dubbed a celestial smiley face. Astronomers call it a triple conjunction. Most of us, instinctively, call it something else entirely, a moment.

At my age, I’ve learned that moments matter more than milestones.

From a strictly scientific standpoint, there is nothing mystical here. The Moon, Saturn, and Neptune are not truly close; they only appear aligned from our earthly vantage point. Saturn shines brightly enough to catch the naked eye, while Neptune, distant and faint, requires binoculars or a telescope. This alignment is geometry, gravity, and orbital mechanics doing what they have always done.

And yet.  There is something deeply human about looking up and seeing a smile written across the heavens.

I have spent much of my life around institutions, government agencies, regulatory frameworks, systems designed to impose order on chaos. Science itself is one of those great institutions, built on rigor, evidence, and repeatability. I respect that deeply. But even the most disciplined scientific mind eventually encounters something it cannot fully quantify: awe.

This event does not change the course of history. It will not alter markets, elections, or wars. It will not trend for long. Tomorrow, the Moon will move on, the smile will fade, and the sky will return to its usual indifference.

But tonight, or that early morning hour when the world is quiet, it offers us a pause.

For older readers especially, the sky has a way of collapsing time. I remember looking up as a child, long before LED lights and twenty-four-hour news cycles, when the stars felt closer and the universe felt slower. Back then, we didn’t need an apps to tell us what we were seeing. We just stood there, necks craned, sharing silence.

This “smiley face” in the sky feels like a gentle echo of that era, a reminder that the universe does not rush, does not shout, and does not demand. It simply is.

In a world that feels increasingly brittle, divided, and anxious, I find comfort in the predictability of celestial mechanics. Planets keep their appointments. The Moon keeps its phases. Long after our arguments fade, Saturn will still be tracing its patient path around the Sun.

Perhaps that is the quiet lesson here. Not everything meaningful has to be loud. Not everything rare has to be disruptive. Sometimes wonder arrives softly, curved like a smile, asking nothing more of us than to look up.

And maybe, just maybe the universe is reminding us that even in dark times, it still knows how to smile.

A Benediction Beneath the Stars

May this small alignment in the vastness of space remind us to slow our steps and soften our hearts.

May the patience of the planets teach us endurance, and the quiet glow of the Moon grant us peace.

May those of us who have lived long enough to see the world change again and again find comfort in what endures.

And may we, when we look up into the night sky, remember that wonder is still available to us, freely given, asking only that we notice.

Good night My Dear Readers, and may the heavens smile upon you, always and forever.

My Reels of the Day: Light Scape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden

https://www.facebook.com/reel/717812738063579

The Aurora Borealis in Hawaii. 

https://fb.watch/EPpMQz2RNE/