Everyone has milestones that signify defining moments in their lives. These moments define where we came from, where we are, and where we are going in life, but what if life is not about the turning points in our lives? What if life is about the small moments that almost seem insignificant to the ordinary passerby? It may not be for some people, but the small moments are the ones that remain embedded in my memory. The times when I would ask Lisa to play Follow Me by Uncle Kracker and I’m Already There by Lonestar on repeat or when Robert and I road tripped to Panama City for one night or when he hugged me after graduation or when my mom cried on my shoulder downstairs in the basement after singing karaoke or when my dad took me to work with him on Father’s Day weekend, these are only a few of so many that have stuck with me.
My name is Tess Ledford. My name has a story behind it, but I think the person I have become gives more meaning to my name than where it came from. I am emotional but numb, genuine but judgmental, considerate but self-centered, selfless but selfish, OCD but sloppy, compassionate but hard, forgiving but bitter, open minded but one sided, easy going but stubborn. I appreciate rules and direction and logic because there is no gray area; everything is black and white. However, I despise emotions because they can always be argued but I never know if what I feel is right or wrong. I have never truly understood the difference between following my head and following my heart. I thought college would help ease some of the confusion and help me figure out who I am and in some ways it has. However, in other ways college has only raised more questions. At the start of this ancestry project, Professor Spencer Simrill asked the class to present our project proposals. In all honesty, I had no idea where I was going to start. I presented my class with some of the information I had found on ancestry.com and presented some of my ideas that formulated from the documentary we had watched in class. Professor Simrill told me the more we learn and try to understand the world, the more we realize how much we do not and will never know. When writing the project proposal, this new applicable theory was more frustrating than helpful. Conversely, the more research I uncovered and the more I was able to show my nana the more fascinated I became with the project.
As interesting as my family’s history is, I have decided to write a family tribute to the people who have impacted my life. As much as my ancestors have impacted my life, my friends and family who have supported me through every step of the way deserve the most credit for not only getting me to where I am today, but for also being my inspirations. They each have their good and not so good qualities, but most of all their love for me is so incredibly reassuring each and every day. I could not be more blessed to have people in my life who have such beautiful hearts. These are the people who deserve the credit for shaping me into the person I have become and for giving my name significance. Therefore, I am dedicating this project to my chaotic, crazy, beautiful, loving, one of a kind family and I am excited to show everyone how wonderful they are and how much they mean to me.
Tess' Family Tribute 