I've lived in many different places and never really felt at home in any of them. That's probably why I have such a fascination with finding out who my ancestors were and where they were from. Following those strands of DNA gives me a sense of connection, of being part of something larger than myself.
Over the years people have commented on the color of my eyes, which are often assumed to be brown or hazel until the light hits them. They are actually a dark pure green.
Only 1 to 2 % of the population have green eyes. I always thought that my eye color was a part of my Celtic heritage until a few years ago, when I discovered that my great grandfather was a green eyed Ukrainian, and that a good sized percentage of people from the Baltic Region have green eyes. That trait has passed from him to my grandmother and my mother, then on to me and my son.
A thin genetic thread of green in a family of predominantly blue eyes. Rare but persistent. Who knows when it entered our gene pool and when it will leave...
I love having that link to my mysterious great grandfather. We carry the ghosts of our ancestors within us.
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