Website Post from October 3, 2009 - Dark Times

Dear Friends,

I like to help people. I have been helping people find their ancestors for many, many years now and it has always been a source of great pride for me that I have been able to do that. With the support of my husband and my children, I had the luxury of using my mind, my time, and my resources to research, explore, and add to the great body of knowledge now known as Casto Connections. But life has taken me to a very dark and unfriendly place this year and every day is a struggle to just keep my head above water, let alone help others with their hobby. If that seems a little melodramatic, believe me, it is not. I am in the process of losing everything and rebuilding my life from scratch, literally wiping out the last 25 years. But I have many more responsibilities than I did when I was 23 – my daughter in college, my son in high school, professional pressures that weigh upon me daily, and people wanting my help on a daily basis that I struggle to find the energy to even answer their emails. And yet, I have knowledge and abilities I did not have when I was young and am fighting to find the passion for life that has driven me for so long. I have been hurt to my very core by the actions of another person and am paying dearly for being the victim. But I am too strong and too much of a fighter to be a victim for long and the lion inside of me is roaring to take action. If genealogy and the Casto research in particular were just my hobby, it would stay dormant for a while longer. But my obligations and responsibilities as an expert on the family and keeper of so much knowledge and information requires me to focus some of my attention on this continuing endeavor and not let the information become lost or unavailable to others. Plus, by focusing my energy on something that meant so much to me, it may help me find balance in my life again, even if I am forcing myself in the beginning.

So, please be patient and understanding and don’t hesitate to ask questions, just don’t be surprised if the answer takes a while to come back to you. The second and final release of the Casto book will be out shortly and I am still working on the new book for release in December. Is that pushing myself too hard? Probably but having something to work towards is a good thing.

Until Later,

Danita

Postscript 6-19-2010:  Things have gotten better, and while still not great, I am managing better and my genealogy is going better than it has in years.  I appreciate all the good wishes I have received.  The new book has still not materialized but is still in the works!