Thanks for sharing! Your musings raise some interesting thoughts - to feel a connection to a family and a history is definitely important. I never thought about dirty hands after gardening as a mark of pride, but I think you have a point in shifting the perspective on this.
As a child I always tried to get around the gardening part and start directly with the fun part, but as I grew older I truly appreciated that I learned so much about growing things and managing a little garden.
Tinara