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Who knew that family history software, and even family tree software, would find such a significant pool of people wishing to complete family history work? There are even a number of people who are searching for family tree software because such diagrams are a nice visual way to see all family lines at the same time. It will be a fine day indeed when such software programs support family stories. But guess what? It is not necessary to wait until you or your family is at the end of their lives before collecting such stories. What follows below is part six of my son’s own fantasy novel.

Gavin flipped his hands over so his palms were facing upward. He lifted his hands up slowly. The rock started to shake, and then it exploded sending shards everywhere. “You didn’t clear your mind,” the Wizard observed. The Wizard put down a pin onto the table.

Gavin shut his eyes and breathed heavily trying not to be nervous. He tried a different gesture this time. Gavin faced his hands sideways and swept them to the side. The pin shifted an inch then floated across the table. Gavin’s heart warmed with satisfaction. “Move your hands more quickly and use your arms instead of your hands to stop the objects from shaking or not moving how you want them too,” the Wizard said lifting up the pin with magic and smoothly put it into his pocket. Gavin wondered what they were going to do next when something hit him. Freeze had not come into the tower with him! “Sir, Freeze did not come in with me!” Gavin said with a note of alarm creeping into his voice. He knew this area could be dangerous when you’re outside alone at night.

“I will find him,” the Wizard replied. The Wizard’s eyes narrowed and then they looked blank. “Sir, aren’t you going to look for him?”
“He is on the top off the tower sleeping,” the Wizard said coming out of the trance.
“How….?”
“I have a special mind chain connected to the follies to notify me things. They found your dragon, not me.” Gavin was amazed at all the different types of magic they were. “the lesson is finished for now. I will notify the follies to tell dragon to come down,” the Wizard said. H went back into the trance for a moment. Gavin picked up his staff and he stood up. Gavin heard a muffled thump outside. That must be Freeze he thought with a grin. The Wizard’s power was amazing. “The next lesson will be in four days on the fifth day. We are going to have more lessons now to prepare you too become a Wizard when you turn fifteen.” The Wizard added. Gavin nodded his head and he walked out the door. He stepped outside as the force of the cold hit him. He noticed an object shift out of the corner of his eye. He turned and realized it was probably a follie camouflaging with the door.

Gavin turned away and he saw Freeze at the edge of the forest waiting. He walked through the thick, tangled grass and he climbed onto Freeze’s back. “So how was your little nap?” Gavin asked with a grin.

Web surfers looking for family history software, family tree software or even family tree diagram are probably highly keen on finding as many artifacts and documents of their ancestors as possible. If they were to discover letters, poems, or stories written by their great grandfather or great great grandmother, they would be more than delighted. It would be like finding an invaluable treasure. Hence, what a great software program it would be if it could archive and preserve all such stories. You don’t have to wait until your family is aging before collecting such stories. What follows below is part five of my son’s own fantasy narrative.

Ragfer went to the main city hall and he killed the leader of the town by hurling furniture with air magic at the leader until he was crushed. HE killed all the people he suspected had heard the noise. Ragfer ran for election as Head Wizard and leader of the town. He was popular and many people thought him a good powerful Wizard. Many Wizards learned of his dark ways and plans to take over the country. Ragfer killed all the people who tried to overthrow him. The Wizards made a secret organization a year after Ragfer was elected to try and overthrow him. Ragfer was attacked in his bedroom at night and he killed half his attackers but they eventually overpowered him. The secret organization of Wizards changed the government by equally dividing the power between them.

Gavin set down the book onto the table and he looked up at the Wizard. “Ragfer became powerful because he knew air magic when other wizards didn’t know a thing. He became careless and let down his guard thinking no one would try to overpower him because he believed he could kill them,” the Wizard said.

“But sir how did the Wizards learn that he was evil?”

“It happened a long time ago and so many things are unclear. If there were any records on it they are lost. Now, when you use air magic you will not need your staff because staffs are mostly used for matter attacks like energy, fire, rock, and many other attacks. Air magic does not require staffs so it is a good back up if you have lost your staff or it is unusable. Gavin put his staff down onto the chair beside him. “To start with you need to empty your consciousness of powerful thoughts or emotions,” the Wizard said. Gavin blinked his eyes several times and looked up at the Wizard.

“First you will try to lift up this rock. wave your hands and fingers to control it how you would like. I suggest you use small gestures to start out with.”

I have yet to see family history software that allows you to tag stories so that you could later search for certain stories by author, topic, type of writing, etc. I would bet there are certainly no family tree software programs that do that, and I am not sure how a family tree diagram would be incorporated. In any case, I am certain such programs will evolve to support such features. Stories are especially fun to read and make for great family history. Below is part four of my son’s own creative fiction story.

The Wizard waved his staff and snapped his fingers with his right hand. The door glowed blue and the Wizard sealed the door shut. “Glory, come here!” the Wizard shouted. A little floating white ball flew up to the Wizard. “I want you to gather up the other Follies and set them up at their defense posts,” the Wizard said. Glory flew back up the stairs. Gavin knew the Wizard had many defenses against enemies and intruders but Gavin had never expected something like this. Gavin always thought the Wizard would have more powerful protection.
“They’re more powerful than they look”, the Wizard said with a smile as if he could read Gavin’s mind. Gavin nodded.
“Yes sir.”
“Now for your next lesson you will be using air magic to lift objects into the air,” the Wizard said taking a book off the shelf. Gavin shivered with anticipation. He couldn’t wait to do this. The Wizard handed the book| to Gavin. “Open up to page four thirty-two to read upon the history of air magic and the wizards who used it with power for good or for evil.” Gavin looked through the book to the page and he started reading the first paragraph.

Air magic is one of the most powerful magic elements used in magic. The great Donomin is thought of as the creator of air magic at the beginning of magic itself. It is not clear whether he actually created air magic but the only records of magic that are left say he did. Five centuries after Donomin’s death came along a very powerful, but horrible Wizard. None of that time had heard of or seen air magic until Ragfer bought Donomin’s mansion. Donomin’s mansion was rumored to be haunted but Ragfer was a poor Wizard who needed a place for himself. It was sold to him for very little and Ragfer found an old library hidden in a room through a trap door. It was full of books by Donomin about air magic. Ragfer learned the ways of air magic and he quickly became rich from this knowledge. He became one of the wealthiest Wizards. He was satisfied with all his money but he wanted more. HE wanted power.

One of the legacies most often lost between generations is the writing of one’s anscestors, whether it be love letters, which are clearly the epitome of endearing ancestral artifacts, or things like stories, poems, or anything else that the great great grandparent may have written. I think family history software should definitely allow for the preservation and presentation of such tales. While it may not make sense for family tree software to accomodate written stories, other type of software, such as programs that organize photos and videos, would be good for this. But it would be nifty for a family tree diagram to allow you to see which ancestor had writings and be able to click to open up such stories.

Because I think it would be great for my grandchildren and great grandchildren to know what my son has written as a child, I am having him write as much as he can, including the story that follows here. This is part one of many.

Gavin sweated as he and his dragon Freeze rode over the tree tops. They were headed to Gavin’s master’s house. His master was the great wizard and this was his second visit. The wizard was probably the most feared man in the kingdom. Or most feared beast no one knew if he was man or beast. The wizard was one of the most powerful kinds, a shape shifter. The wizard became interested in Gavin when he saw how powerful Gavin and his dragon were. One night Gavin and Freeze were hunting in the forest. Freeze was still a young dragon, about two years old. They were rabbit hunting for Gavin’s family. They were chasing after a rabbit one night when they lost track of it. They heard howling and a horrible ripping nose.

They found the rabbit ripped apart at the base of a tree. They realized that they had gone into the forbidden part of the forest where werewolves lurked. They heard howling and realized it was time to get out of here. Gavin and Freeze ran towards an open area for Freeze to take off when a werewolf pounced onto Freeze. Freeze was about six feet long and two and a half feet tall on four legs. He is a fearsome dragon for his age but was taken by surprise when the werewolf pounced on him. Freeze roared as the werewolf dug his claws into Freeze’s leg. Freeze roared again as he speared the werewolf with his tail. Gavin had to think fast because the rest of pack would be herein seconds and they were no match for them.

Gavin hollered for Freeze to hop into a tall elm when the rest of the pack came. Three more werewolves attacked Freeze and one lunged at Gavin. Gavin ducked out of the way just in time. Freeze whined as two werewolves bit into his back.

An easy way to get your children involved in family history is to have them write for things they want. It doesn’t even require family history software for them to do it. The easiest thing for young ones to write about is simply about what happened to them that day or that week, or what things they are looking forward to. Both of these things make for a great family record. What follows below will serve as an example for you because it is actually written by my tweenage son.

On Monday my cousins came over. On Monday it was a break from school because it was Martin Luther King Jr day and we all had school off. My cousins Peter and Joey were coming over. On Monday morning when I woke up I asked my mom when they were coming over. She said they would be over between 11:00 and 12:00 that morning. That morning we moved the Wii and Playstation downstairs with the TV. We were having some behavior problems that morning and so my dad gathered everyone around in the front room and he had sat down. He said in a calm voice, “We have been having some trouble this morning and I would like everyone to tell us something they will do today to make us all happier.” I said I would not bother my siblings because I have a problem with that. My sister May said she would help out our baby brother Ricky to not scream. My sister Samantha said she could help my mom clean the house. And my sister Haley said she would not make Ricky scream.

After the meeting I went upstairs and I grabbed my clothes. I proceeded to the bathroom to bathe because my hair was feeling oily. My mom had left to go run errands. Later when it was about 11:00, I had decided that I would hide in the bushes and scare my cousins when they came to the door. I realized they might take a while so I went back in and I asked Samantha if she wanted to come scare them with me. We went outside right as my mom pulled up. We helped her take groceries inside the house. Earlier that day I asked my mom what we were having for lunch and she said she will probably go pick up a pizza.

I told her I was quite tired of pizza and I asked if she could get hot dogs. When she got back from the store I looked through the bags as usual to see what she got. My mom had got hot dogs and barbecue chips (Hooray!). I asked when they were coming and she said she had just talked to my Aunt and they had already left and were on the freeway.

This ends part one. You can find worthwhile family tree software and a good family tree diagram if you take the time to look.