Dear Henry, what a important reminder for people that we’re ALL connected through our DNA. “But here’s the great irony: There’s no such thing as racial purity. Never has been. I’m a black man with white blood.” I was horrified many years ago when a friend told me that we’re all related to Hitler through our DNA. If that’s the case, then I would add, we’re also connected to Buddha, Jesus and other saints who walked this earth and maybe heaven too.

Finding our roots is not easy. Especially when the old people die and they don’t share the precious information that they hold. Or develop dementia, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases. Like even for Chinese people, finding our ancestors in China is not easy. Records were poorly kept in those days. You’d have to rely on relatives and friends of relatives to remember details. That’s where the oral traditions of some cultures were crucial in preserving their history and heritage. Small towns and villages also change. Today’s news showed Beijing’s forceful demolition of migrant workers homes. The migrants travel far to find work and leave children & family behind. Now homeless, many have to sell what’s left to return home to their hometown. Sad really!