Today was spent in the company of old friends Jim Farrell and George Bruemmer plus newer friend Susie Bruemmer. I worked with Jim and George in the Canadian Forest Service between 2008 and 2011. This morning, we traipsed through George and Susie's woodlot in Renfrew County, stopping for the requisite embrace of the Hugging Tree, then enjoyed a lunch prepared by Jim.

Just writing those words reminds me of the society pages of yore. "Society pages began as a way to entice readers with gossip and news about the wealthy and famous but soon evolved to cover the goings-on of 'average' citizens," says MyHeritage.com. "An incredible array of information can be discovered in these society pages or sections from seemingly mundane notices and reports on events such as parties, job changes, hospital stays, and social visits by friends or relatives."

By way of example, a 1934 article in The Ottawa Citizen began thus: "Mrs. William Hollington, of 174 Lebreton street, held a reception at her home yesterday on the occasion of her 86th birthday, when a large number of guests called during the afternoon and evening to extend their congratulations and best wishes."

I referred to society pages during my conversation with Jim on our drive out to the country, likening them to the social media of our time. We were swapping stories about our ancestors, talking about efforts to document one's life, and commenting on the challenges of capturing personal history—our own and that of our forebears.

This theme continued when we arrived at the home of George and Susie, who showed me the extensive and impressive family history book that George's brother had put together. The compilation shares not only the personal stories and lineage of George and his brother, but also the historical context in which their ancestors lived. It was incredibly inspiring as I consider my own ambitions to capture my and my husband's family history for the benefit of our children.

As is our custom, we spent much of today trading tales—some involving shared experiences and/or shared acquaintances, others involving people and places that at least one of us didn't know at all. For my part, I don't mind listening to narratives about events and individuals I don't know, for there is always something fascinating to learn and ponder. As I mentioned to Jim during our commute back to the city, I don't know whether my love of stories preceded my studying journalism or grew out of my university education (a classic which-came-first question).

One of the things that struck me today was how challenging the lives of our ancestors were and how much recent generations have benefited from relative prosperity and peace, at least here in Canada. For many of us, the advantages we enjoy today were made possible by the hard work and sacrifices of our ancestors. Perhaps my interest in those who came before me is driven not simply by curiosity but also by gratitude.