Tell Your Story

One thing, that I believe is very important in life is recording our memories, eventually our everyday happenings will one day become our memories.
 

 

Since all of my grandparents, and my father have all passed away (all by the time I was twenty-seven) I have had a lot of time to reflect. When we pass on, the only thing that seems important are memories. The best way to share them is to find mementos, or photographs, and to write down stories in a journal. Another way we can bring back memories alive is to recreate a recipe they once made.

 

So, in the past few months I have been trying to work on some projects that give me closure. Also, as we approach our first wedding anniversary, and the start of  a family in the future, I've also been recording my husband and my own childhood memories.

 

I had some trouble getting myself motivated at first, where to start on over a quarter of a centuries memories? I wrote notes to myself in my little notepad that sits besides me, and tried to decide how to put everything together, yet share my story at the same time.

 

I decided I wanted tangible photos of our childhood in my hands, something personal, an album just like my mom used to make. So over time we asked our parents for our childhood photos, gathered them together, scanned them in and re-printed them. Luckily, I did this with photos my dad had before he passed away, as his girlfriend inherited the home he had been living in for over fifteen years, and all our mementos that were inside. I try not to think about all the family memories that my dad attempted to capture, that I may never see again.

 

So, I bought a project life folder and set about putting in all the photos from our childhood into order. My mom came to visit and helped me with it also, and I also talked to her about my second idea, which is to write a book/journal of memories of my life in a chronological order, that focuses on my family, my husband and his family. I would like to write it and dedicate it to my future children, as after all, it's nice for others to read my memories, but it will be their history, and have authenticity.

 

I have already learned more than what I started with, and it's encouraged conversations with my mom and husband about our families. I've been slowly working on an index, as there's so much to put together, also deciding on a style has been important also. For a long time, I've wanted to add personal touches like watercolors, family trees and photographs, but also I'd like to hand write the whole book. Maybe it will be complete by the time my children go off to college.

 

 

So here I go...wish me luck. Also any advice on keeping family memories is appreciated. In the meantime, I'm posting ideas to my family time board.

I'm linking up with Grace at Home #89.