Where Does It All Come From

Friends,

Those of us that consider ourselves to be Civil War Addicts (or addicts of any other historical period for that matter) can frequently point to a certain time or event that gave birth to the addiction.  Other times, it develops slowly over many years until we wake up one day and can't remember how we got to where we are.  In my very first post I mentioned how I developed my Civil War Addiction.  But I've been thinking on that lately.

Yes, I checked out that Civil War book from the library when I was 5 years old.  It had a big red cover and no cover illustrations.  But why did I pick that book?  I could have just as easily picked up a book about a fire station or another Dick and Jane reader.  Why did I pick up the Civil War book?  Something must have drawn me to it.  Since it did not have any cover art though, that seems unlikely.

Was it fate or destiny?  Was it my ancestors drawing me towards them so that I might learn their stories and honor their memories?  Or was is just pure blind luck that I grabbed that book?  I don't know the answer.  But I do know this.  I don't believe in coincidences.

And believe me friends, there were plenty of times at reenactments as I lay shivering in my tent in wet clothes listening to the rain pound the canvas and hoping that the tent didn't collapse that I would have gladly gone back in time and left that book on the shelf!  But the feeling passed quickly.

Do you know where your Civil War Addiction (or that to any other period) comes from?

My name is Lee Hutch and I am a Civil War Addict.

(And Happy Father's Day to my dad, who always encouraged my love of history, no matter how odd he may have found it at times.)