A couple weeks ago, one of my nephews and I conversed about my limited knowledge of the name he bears … my maiden name Stricker. He is one of three remaining male descendants who carries my grandfather’s name. Whether there will be future bearers of the Stricker name, only time will tell.
My nephew sought information about our forebears, where they came from, how to view himself through the lense of previous generations. It’s always heartening (to me) when someone shows an interest in our heritage. Of course, I acknowledge it’s a consuming lifelong pursuit.
Without being an exhaustive resource, my Blood-Type Stricker pages offer a brief exposure to our family’s history. I also directed aforementioned nephew to a blog post I wrote in 2011, Needles and Pens.
I expected the intriguing (but slightly mysterious) tales of der Stricker would fascinate my nephew. Having an understanding of one’s deep roots (even if the connection is partly speculative) provides a foundation for confidence in the future! I think it instills hope.
In my 2011 post, I mentioned my personal creative pursuits as a knitter and weaver, relating them to the meaning of der Stricker. According to what history we know, der Stricker was a weaver of tales and poetry. The sonnet below is an homage to the ways in which we weave both yarn and words to create things of beauty and grace.
Today, civilization’s foundations are challenged daily. Historic buildings, statues and monuments are heedlessly destroyed. The impulse to do away with the old sadly overrides inclinations aimed at preservation. Whereas people used to look down the centuries, today’s cultural/social vision rarely sees more than a decade or two into the past. The concepts of permanency and longevity seem irrelevant, passé.
Happily, the details of 13th century Der Stricker still stir the imagination. What can be said of today’s creators (whether through words, music, or artistry)? In my music collection I have a song (from a 1991 cd titled Best Friends by Mickey and Denise Rapier) which repeats the moving phrase: “… only two things endure even after the end, and that’s the Word of God and the souls of men.”
Good to know.
