There’s nothing wrong in glorifying the members of your family tree. As a matter of fact, knowing one’s roots and feeling great gives a boost of confidence. After all, you are now in this world thanks to those that came before you, so simply taking the time to spiritually thank those individuals is deemed selfless gratitude in itself. Love for one’s own flesh and blood is one of the most self-assuring virtues known to man.
If your grandfather built the house you live in now, or even just provided enough resources for his child to survive and eventually make you exist, he has done more than enough for you. Also, you don’t need to know your ancestors in order to thank them. Surely enough, the lingering real-life connection with someone who passed away will always contribute to honoring them, but it doesn’t always have to be the case.
Worshipping your ancestors is also quite simple, as most of the time it means simply going to the graveyard and leaving a flower to refresh the memory of them.
Top 10 Famous Quotes about Ancestor Worship
“Ancestor worship, or filial piety so characteristic of Asian cultures, for example, does not really resonate with Americans who favor children, not grandparents.”
― Alan Dundes
“We were not the victims of ancestor worship. We had the benefits of a fresh start.”
― Matthew D. Miller
“People who can comfort the dead can also chase after them to hurt them further.”
― Maxine Hong Kingston
“People will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors.”
― Edmund Burke
Individually, every grain of sand brushing against my hands represents a story, an experience, and a block for me to build upon for the next generation.”
― Raquel Cepeda
“I respect traditional people – they have the eyes which see value in the tarnished. This is a gift in itself. Tradition requires a wealth of discipline in order to be adhered to, hence it is rarely found in youth.”
― Criss Jami
“Because survival and love are the immortal truths of humankind, no generation is a total stranger to the forerunner generations of humankind.”
― Kilroy J. Oldster
“Our ancestors wholeheartedly sacrificed their lives to fight against tyranny, and we are allowing that very same tyranny to exist! Let us open our eyes!”
― Yanan Melo
“Whenever I feel sad or a little fragile, I invoke their presence (the ancestors) for support, and they never fail to be there.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh
“Making God a man is the consolation prize that our forefathers gave themselves for not being the ones who were each blessed with a vagina.”
― Mokokoma Mokhonoana
Thank Your Ancestors Always
Ultimately, it would be utterly selfish and egoistic not to feel gratitude for those that ensured the continuation of your bloodline. You are expected to do the exact same, and if you are currently in that process, you know how hard it can be to keep a family together.
These are the tedious tortures that everyone before you already went through, so acknowledge their effort and reward them with your thankfulness. If you are religious, this is also saluted by every god man has ever heard of, so keep this and your ancestors in mind before your next prayer.
