Memoir is a popular genre, and has been for quite some time. The memoir writer is doing what Isabel Allende tells us today--Write what should not be forgotten. Memoirs highlight important areas of the writer's life. They write for themselves but also to share with others who read their work.
Memoir readers often come away having a better understanding of a situation, even a change of opinion. Some can fully relate while others look from another plane, never having been in that particular situation. Even so, they learn something.
Memoir is not the only kind of writing that our quote today fits. Family Stories certainly qualify. The tales about our family and extended family are a part of who we are. We should not let those stories disappear as the elders in the family pass on. The only way to keep the stories, and thus the people, is to write them. Even little snippets, or a small slice of life, about a family member is worth jotting down.
As an example, I think of my Great-Uncle Charlie, a farmer in southwest Minnesota. He listened to the noon Farm Report from a Chicago radio station every day. The announcer on the program often began with "It's a beautfiul day in Chicago!" My family lived in the Chicago area, so when we were visiting, Uncle Charlie often entered the kitchen from the barnyard shouting, "It's a beautiful day in Chicago." I can see him now in his farm overalls, a big man with a booming voice, and an infectious smile. That's not a full Family Story, but it tells something about this man, so it's worth writing about this small remembrance.
Think about family members who made an impression of some sort or did something to boost your self-esteem or an act of kindness that you've never forgotten. Add these small pieces to your Family Stories book.
Think back to school days. What stories or slices of life should you write about? We attended school for a lot of years, had a lot of teachers and classmates. Surely, there are many things you would like to remember and pass on to your children and grandchildren.
Yesterday, I had a doctor's appointment, and for some reason, my doctor started talking about his family. He told me that he greatly regretted not asking his grandparents about their lives while they were still living. Now, he is curious and it's too late. He's not alone. Young people are often more interested in today than what occureed yesterday--the past. If you're lucky enough to still have grandparents, take some time to talk to them about what life was like for them when they were young.
I know a lot about my grandparents, but there are so many more things I don't know and have questions about. I was blessed to have parents who were storytellers, which is how I learned about their parents and their grandparents. They 'told' the stories but did not write them. I have done that for them because I didn't want any of those people in my history to be forgotten.
So, please do write what should not be forgotten. Your family will appreciate your effort.
