Picture
There is an emotional “lift” that takes place when we have the opportunity to revisit our life experiences through the act of reminiscing.

Pat McNees, a personal historian in Maryland, has written an interesting article entitled, “The Beneficial Effects of Life Story and Legacy Activities,” based upon her hospice experience. It’s worth a read:http://www.patmcnees.com/files/Mcnees_benefici.pdf

In my experience, it's often during the 2nd interview session that an individual begins to “put the pieces together” and appreciate the path their life has taken. The moment I enter the room, I notice a lilt in their voice, a new animation to the way they recount a story – an “energy” that wasn’t there during our first encounter.

And this physical and emotional transformation makes sense to me. We need to know that our lives have had meaning, and when we’ve been able to verbally walk through the events of our past and see the learning and growth that has taken place … then we are better able to celebrate where we’ve been and where we are today.

There is also an emotional weight, I believe, that is lifted from our shoulders when we’ve been able to pass on our values, hopes, beliefs, and advice to our loved ones. We feel a sense of peace in knowing that we’ve had a chance to say what is nearest to our hearts and leave a lasting legacy for our friends and families. 

Regardless of our age, we all should make a little more time in our lives for reminiscing. It's an act of celebration, reminding us of the people, places, and moments that have defined and enriched our lives.

Add Comment
 
 
Picture
The Very Hungry Caterpillar has nothing on Davy Crockett or Three Billy Goats Gruff. There’s something about folktales that speak to the heart. Maybe it’s the family history that they often carry with them.

When we read a story that has been passed down through the generations, we become part of a chain of storytellers and eager listeners. It’s not just the characters and illustrations that rise to the surface of distant memory when we read a favorite childhood book … but the environment in which we first remember hearing the tale.

The smell of pipe smoke in our grandfather’s den, the willow tree that danced in the breeze outside the kitchen window, or the warm, safe feeling of being nestled in our grandmother’s arms.

I had this experience recently when visiting our local library. I happened to stumble upon a collection of “classic” children’s books. Amongst the Grimms’ Brothers and Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales, I came across a folktale that my grandmother read to us every time we visited – The Sky is Falling.

So I brought it home to read to my kids. After almost 30 years, it was so much fun to revisit the story of Chicken Little. As I read, I could hear the echo of my grandmother’s voice as she played the part of Henny Penny and Foxy Loxy. It was like being teleported back to her cozy bedroom in 1977 or so, with her soft arm curled around me and the warm Alabama breeze coming in through the window.

And in an unexpected way, reading this classic fable enabled me to share a piece of my personal history with my kids.

We all have favorite books from childhood that we remember – or maybe we’ve temporarily forgotten. But I encourage you to seek them out and share them with your children or grandchildren. Or find a quiet space to read them alone. And then sit back and enjoy the sweet memories they evoke.
Add Comment
 
 
Picture
If you’re like most 21st-century photo hounds, your computer’s hard drive is packed to capacity and your basement is filled with yellowing photo albums and boxes of old family snapshots. It’s the modern-day dilemma of a camera-loving culture.

But the photos – especially the ones that have been passed down to you from your parents and grandparents – are an important part of your family history. They each carry with them a story – a story of people, places, and moments.

Most families have been taking and collecting photographs for the past 100 years or so. But with the arrival of digital technology, we’re really on a roll now! The number of photos that our great-grandparents may have taken over the course of a lifetime, we stockpile in a year. Many of us don’t even bother developing our pictures any more, let alone taking the time to properly label them.

So how do we get a handle on this ever-growing photographic chronology of our lives – and the lives of those we hold dear?

Thankfully, technology has come to the rescue.

Fairly inexpensive software packages are available to help you get a grip on your photo collection. From photo editing and sharing tools to advanced labeling and organizational features, it’s amazing what some of these products can do!

Here are a couple of links worth checking out:

http://www.photo-organizing-software-review.toptenreviews.com

http://www.memoryminer.com/

Add Comment