Titles...

I've been recovering these past several months, first from a sprained knee- I sprained my ACL and had several micro-tears in my quad muscle, then several weeks after the sprain I fractured my fibula. Needless to say, I had time to kill as I sat around with my leg propped up healing (I don't heal quite as fast as when I was a youngster)... I tried to make good use of my time by working on the history of my family tree. I've been interested for some time now in my geneology and I was able to focus myself on some in-depth research.

I've never been big on titles, preferring to be judged on my work, or actions- the what that I am rather than the who... Still, it was rather exhilerating to find that I have been spawned from quite the "Titlted" lineage. I traced my direct anscestory back to King John of England (that "bad" younger brother of Richard the Lionhearted during the "Robinhood" stories), through the Plantegenets, the first English born kings of England. I found I was directly related to Kings from Denmark, Sweden, France, Italy, Jerusalem, and the crown jewel- Charlemange, or Charles I, the king of the Franks and first crowned Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, by the Pope, in 800 AD. I am a direct descendant of Rolf Ragnvaldsson, the first Duke of Normandy. I found Dukes, and Dutchesses, Earls and Lords, Counts, Princes and princesses scattered throughout my lineage. Wow, but they really don't do anything for me today. They tell me from which I come, the "who" that I am, but only I can define the "what" that I am.

Yet, after my disclaimer that I don't seek titles, that I prefer to be judged on my actions, even still, today I was given a new title, and it is one I covet. Of all titles I could desire "father" is the one I am most proud of. Today's is second, for today Jacoby Ryan was born, 7lbs 13oz, and 21 inches long, and today I became "Grandpa"...