topic Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you? in Community Chat

Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

qualitygal — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 16:13:05 GMT

I think we all have stories. But I think I'd like to leave behind, our family tree. In fact, I think that's something that before long I'm going to work on. Too many times we don't ask good family questions (to me) until the powers that be are no longer here. Those behind me, may never want to know what I want to leave them, but there's stories there. I don't want to write a book, just a synopsis that I'm aware of.

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

Kachina624 — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 16:20:27 GMT

Before he died, my dad who'd had an interesting life, sat down and videotaped many of his stories and experiences. He could have never written them due to severe vision problems. The video is more interesting to watch.

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

smoochy — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 16:25:10 GMT

Yes. For Mother's Day 2020, my daughter got me a subscription to StoryWorth. I wrote stories in answer to the weekly questions for a year. Then my stories and pictures were published in a lovely bound hardcover book. So many recollections, thoughts, and witticisms (my trademark, lol). This was one of the best gifts I've ever received. She will treasure the book after I'm gone. It's my life as told by me. 🤩

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

proudlyfromNJ — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 16:26:23 GMT

I hear what you are saying. Besides the stories I have photos back to late eighteen hundreds of my Grandfather as a young boy and my Grandma in the twenties with her little kids (my Mom). Also have trunk Great Great Grandma brought over from Germany with her children. When I go, it all will be thrown away. No one cares and no one wants anything. Sad for me.

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

Desertdi — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 16:39:21 GMT

I have only one living relative. My ancesters changed their names at Ellis Island, and rarely mentioned "their past". My own name is probably not "real".

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

deepwaterdotter — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 17:00:50 GMT

My parents and grandparents did this before their passing. It is enlightening. I will add my information before I'm 'called home'.

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

jlkz — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 17:01:18 GMT

@qualitygal

When I was leaving corporate America in the early 1980's, I invested in career counseling for myself, although I had helped others informally through the process. Out of it came a document I wrote as part of the intake process: Achievements I experienced from my earliest recollection with some detail to place it into context.

It helped me understand that continued corporate life would no longer interest me...other needs were to be satisfied.

The second document I wrote was when I was 70 in 2015. I had a bad case of bronchitis that lasted so I made use of the down time to describe how I incorporated the 3 virtues on my college's Seal into my life: Faith, Knowledge and Caritas.

The stories therein shed light on the various careers I have had since no one in my family knew what I had accomplished.

My college inducted me into their Life Honor Society based on the document. It will probably be shared with future students at some point in different ways.

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

skatting44 — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 17:09:10 GMT

yea, have been motivated to write things down since all this covid craziness began. I remember asking my Grandparents how they felt and what did they do to get through WWI & WWII , the stockmarket crash in 1929,the Great Depression, the Influenza outbreak and Prohibition . I used to ask alot abt their parents and hardships they endured, however I did not write anything down and neither did my Mother nor my Grandparents . I never heard any of my female relatives keeping a diary . Wish they had .

It's never to late to record either verbally or in written text of one's family stories .

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

kitcat51 — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 17:20:41 GMT

No.

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

SeaMaiden — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 17:23:36 GMT

@qualitygal My Father wrote a book about his life.

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

GenXmuse — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 17:31:47 GMT

We've done recordings and video over the years of older family members recounting memories and occurrences over the years. I don't live close to family anymore but I'd like to continue to do it. I need to see if you can record either FaceTime or zoom calls or even just a phone call, with their permission of course.

I'm pretty devastated by my mom dying a few weeks ago and wish I had insisted with her when she was able.

As far as writing, I have some vignettes that I've written about my family and life on the farm in a small southern town.

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

CelticCrafter — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 17:32:10 GMT

A couple of years ago, I did an Ancestry family tree for my daughter. I onlly went back as far as my great grandparents on my side and her fathers grandparents on that side.

It's all tucked away in a journal my mother did for her when she was a baby that I periodically updated.

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

chrystaltree — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 17:50:36 GMT

That's something my daughters and I have talked about. My mom was our family historian but it was all verbal. We have talked about creating a book or album with voices of all our family pictures and documents and we will.write down my mom's stories. I'm retiring soon, when we find our new home and get settled, I'll have the time to start on it.

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

LindaSal — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 17:56:18 GMT

@GenXmuse So sorry for your loss.

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

LindaSal — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 18:03:35 GMT

It is a good question. I never really thought about wrtiting things down or having a diary of any kind. I guess we just get so wrapped up in our own lives, time just keeps going and before you know it the people that have the answers to the questions your just thinking of now are gone.........The one thing we have a lot of are photos and my mom kept excellent records with a name, date and place on the back of each and every one of them. She has been gone 10 years on Feb 12 and those photos are all in my brothers storage. He keeps saying he is going to scan them into his computer and give my sister and I a copy, well it's long overdue. Recently I was speaking to my DH about trying to retrieve them and doing this project ourselves, as there are many, many stories just in those photos.

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

sydsgma1 — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 18:13:43 GMT

i wrote what turned out to be a 40 page memoir about my grandparents and parents. I did some research on ancestry.com. My adult and siblings love it.

i am in the process of writing my autobiography

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

on the bay — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 18:14:34 GMT

I'm so sorry too @GenXmuse!

Maybe you could write down some of your mom's endearing things that she did and believed in. Like a tribute to her and you in a pretty journal. Then as thoughts come to your mind, you can write them down.

You could include pictures too.

And only when and if it gives you comfort.

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

ECBG — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 18:20:06 GMT

When I was in high school we had to do a family tree. I learned some family history then and started asking more direct questions. I have tried to pass some of the information on to our grandsons.

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

haddon9 — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 18:23:52 GMT

@qualitygal wrote:
I think we all have stories. But I think I'd like to leave behind, our family tree. In fact, I think that's something that before long I'm going to work on. Too many times we don't ask good family questions (to me) until the powers that be are no longer here. Those behind me, may never want to know what I want to leave them, but there's stories there. I don't want to write a book, just a synopsis that I'm aware of.

I think this is a great thing to do!

When my mother passed away back in May she left behind a lot of items, photos and unanswered questions.

One thing that's been on my mind lately is several photos (from the 1930s) of her and a younger girl who looks exactly like her.....who is this other girl? I can't tell who is my mother they look so much alike. They are not twins since one is several years older but this has been a mystery. My brother also has no idea.

We both agree that mom rarely talked about her childhood and she always made a fuss when I would ask to see old family photos.

Re: Have you or are you writing things down, family-wise for those after you?

on the bay — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 18:29:08 GMT

@haddon9, that is certainly a mystery!