Introduction to genealogy

Why do genealogical research? What drives a person to take an interest of their ancestors?
I would say that the reasons are manifold. It is out of curiosity, to the desire to know something more concerning our origins. I would say that this curiosity is manifested more easily in old age.
For me it is the arrival of grandchildren has accentuated much my desire for knowledge of the origins, but also knowledge of current relatives that if we sink research on 5-6 generations and then go back down by building the whole tree will discover certainly be several hundred of individuals.
I reproduce here the foreword to my family tree which I published on my site.