Recording your Life Story
Many people think about writing their life story so that all the important facts about their life are recorded.
But this takes commitment, time and sometimes the information is difficult to put into words that flow for others to be able to read.
Often family members say that they wish they had written down their family history and the exact details that form their past. But again this takes time in our busy lives.
Telling stories and reminiscing is a fantastic way to keep memories alive and it’s been found to be very beneficial for older people to reactivate details and memories from their past.
Stories of the past are so important for us all to understand where we’ve originated from, we can all remember listening to our grandparents tell us stories of their childhood.
I grew up thinking that my ancestry was German but then to find out in my 30s that my great grandparents were actually from Poland. This came as a shock to me as my identity and background wasn’t what I had thought for so long.
It was then explained to me that my origins were only ‘just’ inside the Polish border and over time the border between Germany and Poland had moved. This information probably made it slightly more confusing for me though, so now I just say I have German heritage with a touch of Polish influence.
This side of my family spent hours working on the Family Tree, documenting who was who and where people grew up. These days family trees are now researched and documented online. With the increase of technology people are reading less and less and the younger generations learn from watching videos on YouTube.
Many families also live far apart as the world has become more global. So this leaves less opportunity to spend time talking over dinner to hear all the details and information about their families and grandparent’s background.
Recording a loved ones story through film is a great way of capturing and keeping their story for generations to watch and learn from. The movie is easily sent to family and friends that live in different locations and can be stored and updated as technology changes over time.
Having a video of your loved one also captures the spirit and personality of that person. Funny stories and recollections are easy and enjoyable to watch. It’s also an opportunity for that person to record their beliefs, values, achievements and inner self though what they’re saying.
These memories are preserved for future generations..
