Family history, genealogy, and the complicated concept of "cycle-breaking"

In which I turn 46 and go digging into my grandmother's messy roots.

Last week I turned 46. That number may seem a little less significant than a nice round 40 or 50, or the midpoint years - 35, 45, 55. But actually, 46 felt more significant in a way. Because 46 is officially on the other side of the 40s midpoint.

I’m on the tail end of my mid-40s now. One could even argue that 46 is the late 40s.

At 44 I was still havin…