Allegiance is: “...the obligation of a feudal vassal to his liege lord; the fidelity owed by a subject or citizen to a sovereign or government; the obligation of an alien to the government under which the alien resides: devotion or loyalty to a person, group, or cause." Merriam-Webster Dictionary In a world/country divided into many subparts, allegiance may be … Continue reading I Pledge Allegiance to…You, You, and You →

Grandfather Dan Kennedy I Sit Here and Wait Seems like I do this a lot, Sitting, waiting, remembering days of long ago, Knowing that my time is nearly over, Hoping that the end will be fast. Time to remember the good days, Days when the family was together. My beautiful wife was happy, Past her … Continue reading Waiting with Grandpa Dan →

Flat top Dad with Carole Ann, Tommy Ray, and Kenny Joe “Fatherhood requires change blended with stability. Without changing, a father becomes distant; without stability, he loses his anchor.”    TRK My dad’s relationship with me changed as I morphed from one growth phase to the next: from my early childhood and pre-teen, to teenager, to … Continue reading Different Fathers, Same Man →

Hometown of the Kennedy Family “The dash between dates holds the essence and spirit of the deceased. It doesn’t take long for memories to fade. Precisely why every family needs a historian to capture and relate stories of each member.” Sharon Mosier, Educator I am swimming in genealogic facts: birth and death dates, names of … Continue reading Jim Kennedy (1836 – 1919): the First Kennedy to Arrive →

Typical sailing ship that sent immigrants to America in 1836. It isn’t very often that one has the opportunity to talk with a deceased ancestor. The circumstances have to be near perfect. My chance to visit with one of my 16 great, great grandparents did happen on a morning a few weeks ago between sleep … Continue reading “Granny, why did you get on the boat?”  →

The name “Van Duyne” is often synonymous with the City of Wilmington. Seldom do you read a box score or school rosters without seeing that name or an immediate relative. It all started in Holland with the births of Pieter Klaver (b.1837) and John Van Duin (b.1835), fathers of the bride and groom. In addition … Continue reading Pieter Klaver Transplants Trees in Wilmington →

To: Cal, Addee, Evan, Nikki, Declan, Matilda, Kennedy, Amelia, Lexi, Cameron, Patrick, Emme, Claire, and Lily. "We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect."Anaïs Nin Dear Grandkids: Of course, you are writing your book. You just haven’t put your stories into a document yet. The first five years of your story … Continue reading Grandkids, Are You Writing Your Book? →

When a mother died during childbirth in the 1920s, it was probably a common occurrence. But to the children who witnessed it and the husband who depended on her, life would never be the same. Grandmother Margaret Klaver Kennedy (34) died at home during the birth of her 5th child on March 18, 1924. Maternal mortality rates … Continue reading Death and Despair in a Farmhouse →

“There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes “What … Continue reading What Is Water? Early Realities that Never Evaporate →

“I really don’t like that man. I must get to know him better.”Abraham Lincoln Lincoln was right. It is amazing how much we can dislike and fear others when we don’t know them. Especially if they look different and are from different groups or tribes.  Sports and Music Years ago, when I was coaching young … Continue reading What I Love about Joliet: Harmony in Diversity →