I Am Not Me

I have discovered that I am not me!

Over the weekend, I did some deep-water research on Ancestry.com, the international genealogy site, and I have found out that I am not a “Lemmons.”  Indeed, my name is “Laymon.”  I am descended from Joseph Laymon, who was born, somewhere (either in this hemisphere or the other), in 1735.

Wow!

I bet my Daddy and my "Pawpaw" Lemmons would be surprised!

They spent their whole lives thinking that they were someone else.

Of course, my Uncle Cleatus tried to tell them.  He always argued that the name, “Lemmons” should be spelled with only one “m”.  To wit: “Lemons.”  He was closer to the truth.

Of course, because of his love of “sour mash” whiskey, Daddy and "Pawpaw" didn’t pay a lot of attention to him.

I understand that our family may be descended from German immigrants.  That would be ironic, because Daddy fought against the Germans in World War II.  Now, don't get me wrong.  Daddy was not bigoted against Germans.  In fact he and Mr. Fege, a veteran of the German Army who had immigrated to our country after the war and live in the house on the street behind us, were good friends.  Daddy would have just been "surprised" to discover that he might be German.

Equally, our family may have arrived in America by way of Scandinavia. Now, that is surprising.  No body in my family is handsome and blonde!  In fact, I am about as plain and ugly as they come.

I always thought we might be Greek, but, then again, I guess I was just fantasizing that I was related to Socrates or Aristotle.

It is interesting to know where one came from.  Indeed, Alex Haley made a whole “slop jar” full of money from discovering his “roots” some years ago. 

But, I guess the more important question is, “Where are we going?”

It doesn’t make any difference who our ancestors were.  The real question is who are we, and what are we going to do to make the world a better place when we leave it than when we came into it!?!

I don’t think I will be running out to buy new stationary, or going to court to change my name.  Likely, I will remain, Gary D. Lemmons.  I have grown accustomed to him.  I am comfortable with him.  He is a harmless old lone wolf.

But, tonight, just in honor of old Joseph Laymon, just in the memory of my Uncle Cleatus, and just for fun, I think I will have "one" very plentiful glass of “sour mash”!

You can have one too, or, if you are a good Baptist, like my Daddy and my Pawpaw Lemmons, have a strong Coca Cola or a good hot cup of strong coffee.

I bet the LORD won't mind at all.