On Wednesday this week, I read a news story about the presidential candidates’ family genealogies. It made me think about how we’re all more related than we imagine. I might even be a distant relation of Hillary Clinton through my French Canadian side of the family if I can find I have a connection to Jean Cusson, Hillary’s 18th-century French Canadian relative mentioned in the Associated Press story.

Relationship trees can be created for more than family genealogy. Within the beading community there is a definite relationship tree between the people who began teaching beading 15-20 years ago and those of us who now participate in the hobby.

Wouldn’t it be fun to build a beading community tree showing the multiple “generations” of who taught whom? It would be interesting to trace the exchange of knowledge as a relatively small group of beading enthusiasts taught a group of beaders, and then that group taught another group, and so on. How many “generations” would we be removed from that first group?

We’re fortunate that we continue to benefit from the presence of many of the first group of beaders, who still teach and share their beading talents. The “each one, teach one” philosophy is a good model to follow and a great way to keep the beading community a vibrant, living entity.

Happy beading.

Lynne