I, Jessup: A Sentimental Journey Through iGENEA DNA Test
Family name Jessup
My iGENEA DNA test journey was a roller-coaster of emotions, fueling me with anticipation and curiosity, and leading me to newfound connections and deepened appreciation for my history and surname, Jessup. Today, I am not just a Jessup; I am every Jessup who ever lived.
Taking a DNA test can be an enlightening and emotionally profound experience. I recently embarked on this journey with iGENEA, eager to unveil the untold mysteries of my lineage. The Jessup surname, which I've always held with pride, took on an entirely new significance as the revelations began to unfold, forming a more solid link to my roots.
The process is straightforward: They send you a kit, you swab your cheek, send it back, and patiently wait for your results. However, the emotional journey it elicits is anything but simple. As the wait dragged on, the anticipation and curiosity coupled with nervousness, brewed a storm of emotions within me.
The moment of truth came when the email from iGENEA landed in my inbox, pulsating with knowledge of my heritage. My heart pounded as I hit 'open'. As I started to decipher the information, I realized the process was far more than just understanding from where I originated. It was about connecting through time, with generations who lived their lives unaware that they would culminate in me. The veil of anonymity around those individuals started to thin as I learn more about our shared surname, "Jessup".
The Jessups, as I learned, span a significant part of Europe. They were farmers, merchants, scholars, and everything in between. I discovered distant cousins, further enriching the tapestry of our shared heritage. Evidently, the name Jessup met with triumphs and tribulations, love and loss, and each contour of this newfound history added depth to my understanding of who I am.
Discovering unknown relatives was especially impactful. The idea of sharing DNA, and consequently a slice of history with strangers, unleashed a torrent of feelings; surprise, excitement, and a strange sense of connection. It brought a unique sense of belonging, as if, through them, I completed another piece in the jigsaw puzzle that is me.
Despite the sea of data obtained, there is a soft melody of melancholy associated with the process. There are stories lost in time, faces you'll never see and voices you'll never hear. Yet, there's beauty in acknowledging their existence because every ancestor who came before left an undeniable mark that culminated in my existence.
My experience with iGENEA has been nothing short of transformative. The journey necessitated the grappling of complex emotions and culminated in an enhanced appreciation for every single Jessup who came before me. We all leave behind a legacy, whether we realize it or not; every action leads to reactions, and by virtue, generations to come.
V. Jessup