The Kudzu Vine

What’s in a name?

A lot if you were a Hatfield or McCoy between the years of 1880 to 1891 but I digress. I do that a lot.

After working on Ancestry for a month or so and on Family Tree Maker, their recommended genealogy program, I have decided that it was just like I always thought. We're kin to everybody. If I pull up a name before long there's a connection to either the Adams, Ogburns, Gardners, Faulkenberrys, etc. It made me think.

Now they want everyone who joins Ancestry to select a name for their family tree. You can imagine the names they have since the program covers millions of people. It’s like choosing a user name online. You get so many "already in use" that sometimes it’s hard to decide on just one. The best one I've seen so far was "Broken Branches."

Well now I think I have come up with a good one. Since everyone else has a tree I thought I might just name ours "The Kudzu Vine" because we more closely resemble it than a tree. I know there are millions of leaves on the trees, especially the firs and pines, but just think about the kudzu vine. It reaches everywhere and always where you really don't want it to go. It has a mind of its own. Now that's my kind of tree. It's almost impossible to get rid of so it's definitely resilient and I like to think we are too. It doesn't sound as dignified or "up town" as tree but when you think of the qualities of both it does make you wonder which you would rather relate to.

The tree has its roots that expand beneath it, its branches that reach out to the sky, and its leaves that signify the individual. It stands there proud and tall for all the world to see. But the kudzu vine crawls along the ground, climbs anything it can find above it, and sinks its roots anywhere it can find a spot. You can't stomp it to death, cutting it seems to work like the mythological creature that grew two new heads each time one was cut off, and it doesn't appear to be bothered by any of the elements. It just goes on forever and ever. Now I do know that you can rein it in with a goat or two but we don't have enough goats to go around to control it.

On the negative side kudzu does lay waste to the land it covers and I don't ever remember seeing a flower growing on it to beautify the vine itself. Then there's the fact that everyone, except the goats, seem to hate it. I suppose that's why the family tree always takes on the look of the old regal oak and it is pretty. I suppose I should add that the Bible refers to "the Tree of Life" and you can't get a better recommendation than that. All the branches that are reaching out into the area above are there to shade and provide shelter for anything beneath them. The roots are there to nurture and sustain the tree like our ancestors before us who blazed a trail for us to follow and try to guide us along our way. I heard once that the roots extend the length of the branches above to give the tree balance. I believe it was my husband who told me that but I'm not sure. The shedding leaves signify the passing of one life but are constantly replenished signifying a new life making its way into the world. The acorns fall to the ground to grow into a new tree or they are carried to other areas by the wind or animals feeding upon its fruit.

The more I think about it I believe I would rather be associated with the old oak tree instead of the kudzu after all. I suppose I'm just old fashioned. When I look at the old oaks surrounding our home I not only see them in all their glory but also the toll that time has taken upon them. They have fought a good fight but they, like the rest of us, must yield to time. Sat right here and talked myself out of the name for our family tree. Now I'll have to think up another one. Right now it's "The Adams Family." Not very original is it?