I received quite an interesting email last night. The sender was from http://www.dna.ancestry.com and the subject line read, “GREAT NEWS! Your AncestryDNA results are in!” Wow…I had completely forgotten about that little test tube experiment! Several months ago, I sealed up that pre-paid postage box, casually tossed it into the mailbox with nary a care, nor curious thought as to what my cocktail of spit might reveal. Well…on June 29th, 2016 at 8:00pm, I discovered quite a few interesting diagnostics, genetic matches, plus several mystery ingredients hidden in my family melting pot.
I had known my family was predominantly of English, German and other Eastern European descent, but not much work went into any detailed research, nor did anyone show much interest with exploring deeper into family trees. Over the last few years, I began to get curious and despite my becoming close friends with Google search, the lack of answers frustrated me a little. I turned 50 last February. The fact that I’ve lived half a century doesn’t bother me – the prospect of facing my mortality doesn’t concern me either. Basically, there’s nothing about my age or getting older that phases me in the least bit negatively – in fact, it’s quite the opposite! I embrace myself now and the years which lie ahead, but I’d like to know WHERE DID I COME FROM? As my mother and father near 80 years of age, I find myself more inquisitive about family history. I want to know everything about everything – the good, bad, and the ugly. I want to ask questions, find answers, make a record of people, places, and things of which make me who I am today.
Aha, it’s clear to me now…I remember why I decided to submit this DNA test. I’m certainly interested to know more about the history and people forgotten or lost in time. I’m not actively searching for secrets or skeletons in the closet (even though that would be a fascinating find), instead I hope to connect the dots with family on a historic…and emotional level. I think about the potential for research and scientific breakthroughs via the uncovering, and discovery of detailed information from generations past. What will we be able to find out about our genetic backgrounds, personality traits, health, and other predispositions? There’s much work to do, but maybe we’re on the cusp of something which might prove helpful by tracing various origins – let’s examine disease and congenital conditions, possible causes, and cures. Science has made fascinating strides regarding the powerful use of DNA testing in the last few decades and it will continue to evolve. Maybe it’s time to explore where we all came from. If we do this, maybe it’ll also help us understand one another – and bring us closer together as human beings. Maybe we can learn to respect the union we share of global “oneness” and gain a better perspective as to where/who we are in this world. Truly, we are all made up of small specks, microscopic bits in the universe created for a purpose…a meaning…we must not forget that.
Ethnicity estimate for Mary Pettigrew
REGIONAPPROXIMATE AMOUNT
Africa< 1%
• Trace Regions
< 1%
• Africa North< 1%
• Other Regions Tested
• Benin/Togo0%
• Ivory Coast/Ghana0%
• Africa South-Central Hunter-Gatherers0%
• Africa Southeastern Bantu0%
• Senegal0%
• Nigeria0%
• Mali0%
• Cameroon/Congo0%
America0%
• Other Regions Tested
• Native American0%
Asia0%
• Other Regions Tested
• Asia Central0%
• Asia South0%
• Asia East0%
Europe99%
• Great Britain46%
• Europe West23%
• Ireland14%
• Iberian Peninsula8%
• Trace Regions8%
• Italy/Greece3%
• Europe East2%
• Scandinavia2%
• Finland/Northwest Russia< 1%
• Other Regions Tested
• European Jewish0%
Pacific Islander0%
• Other Regions Tested
• Melanesia0%
• Polynesia0%
West Asia0%
• Other Regions Tested
• Middle East0%
• Caucasus0%
+-
Get the most out of your ethnicity estimate
Learn all about your ethnicity estimate by exploring our help content. You can find a lot more by clicking on the Learning Center button (the one with the question mark) at the top of every ethnicity page.
http://dna.ancestry.com/public/ethnicity/2773d459-4c06-429a-b334-d6d848009f9b/4
Reflection & Renewal 