No Right or Wrong When Writing Family Stories

 

I am happy to report that I have made the required days of isolation for those dealing with Covid. In fact, I am a day over that number. Fortunately, my husband and I both had a relatively light case. Two miserable days, then big improvements after that. That means, I'm trying to get back to my normal schedule. 

I plan to address the topic of Family Stories this week. Our quote for today says: 'Family is a gift that last forever.' The people don't last forever, but our memories are with us as long as we walk this earth, and, if we write them for others, they'll last even longer. 

What better way to leave some of those memories to future generations than to write our Family Stories? Some wonderful quotes illustrate this thought.

If you don’t recount your family history, it will be lost. Honor your own stories and tell them too. The tales may not seem very important, but they are what binds families and makes each of us who we are. Madeleine L’Engle

“It turns out that sharing family stories with adult children and grandchildren is more than a pleasant pastime. Research has found that a strong narrative helps build strong family bonds. .Passing down lessons and values through stories enhances a sense of well-being.” (Mary W. Quigley

“The best-loved stories are not from books or films, but those from our own families” Jane McGarvey“

Family stories casually chatted about at the dinner table, or regaled again and again at family gatherings can parallel great epics or notable short stories. The memorable stories of our lives and of others in our family take on special importance because they are true, even if everyone tells different versions of the same event. These tales are family heirlooms held in the heart not the hand. They are a gift to each generation that preserves them by remembering them and passing them on.” (Heather Forest)

When you write those Family Stories, both happy, funny, and sad, be sure to see that they will be handed down to someone in the family after you are gone. Be kind enough to let them know long before they're needed. I'm not addressing only people in their senior years regarding this, younger people need to give some thought to it, as well. 

My husband had an aunt who was the Family Storyteller and keeper of Family History. She had never married so had no children to pass these things on to. She made a large family photo album with information under the photos of Ken's mother's side of his family. Eight children all born in the USA to German immigrant parents. She didn't give it to Ken or one of his brothers, or any of her other nephews and nieces. Instead, she gave it to our, then five-year-old, granddaughter. The message that she was to carry on the family tradition was there for all of us. Our granddaughter was thrilled to be given this family gift, even though at that young age, she didn't realize all the implications. Today, I'm sure she does. 

I keep hard copies of my Family Stories in a large 3 ring binder type of notebook, so that I can easily add new ones as they are written. 

Read the quotes above again, and give them serious consideration. Remember this, as well:  You do not have to be a professional writer to write Family Stories. Anyone can do it. They can be short or long, detailed or just the facts. There is no right or wrong when writing your memories for generations to come to savor.