What follows are excerpts from my book, Missed Opportunities, Journeys to my Ancestors.
My Ukrainian Grandmother, Anastasia Winnicki Kicak, more affectionately known as Nana, came forward to tell me that there are many others who want to share their stories with me.
She said: ‘We are very pleased to know that someone cares enough about us to listen and write everything down.’ Then she said, ‘you have no idea how incredibly healing it is for all of us. We are being seen in death. It is enormous!’
Worry
In July, Paolo, an Italian ancestor, came to tell me to not worry about anything. He said everything I need will always come to me and to trust this in the most radical way! Paolo told me that he spent a lot of his life worrying and when he got to the other side, he realized that there was never any need to.