I have this plaque on my wall in my office that has the title of this post on it. And I couldn’t love it more. Because I believe it with my whole being.
The theme of this week’s Group Blogging Experience 2 (GBE2) is “do-over.” And many of the posts are along the same stream of thought that I have. Oh, I wouldn’t do anything over, because it has all made me who I am today. Most of the time I wholeheartedly agree with this.
Except.
There are totally things I would do over. Things I would change about my wedding, about all the macaroni and cheese I stuffed into my body, and the number of times I opted not to go for a walk around the block with my Mom when it was really some of my favorite times, but I was just lazy.
But this biggest thing that I regret, is not capturing the stories from my Grandfather and Grandmother. No one expected to lose them at such young ages. We always thought we had more time, time to record their voices and write down their stories. But we didn’t.
And as memories start to fade, I get scared that I am going to lose their stories altogether, the few I remember. So now? I may over-document things and I don’t care, because if I could do it over again, I would change things. I would write their stories. I would make my Mom lug our 75 lb video camera up to their house and record their laughter.
If we get to have children one day… they will know our story. They will know their Grandparent’s story, because we are writing it here. We are taking 250,780 pictures at every family gathering. We are video taping it. This love of documentation? I got it from my Mom, and every time she shoved the video camera in my face I sighed heavily…but now? Those old home videos are treasures.
So tell your story, tell the story of the elders in your families. It’s a treasure that you cannot get back, even though one day you’ll want to.
It is so true, documenting moments and loved ones through pictures and videos is the best thing ever, especially as time goes by and your memory starts failing you. That's the reason I take a million pictures even though my husband huffs and puffs 🙂 I get it from my dad and I'm so glad he documented everything he did because I remember things from my childhood I otherwise would never dream to!
Wonderful post! LOVE IT! My dad is the storyteller in our family, he would make up wild stories for our family trips (9 hr drives), and I still remember them. I keep poking at him and telling him to write them down, record them, I will win. I want A to grow up with that. Again, great post!
This comes at a coindidental time. I have been thinking about my best friend a ton lately. She lost her grandmother two weeks ago and has been spending time telling me about the stories of her grandma- before she was a grandma. Before she was a mother or married even. It's sometimes so difficult to think of your grandparents (or parents even) as having vibrant, youthful, ornery lives. I admired my friend for having these stories. I need to call my grandmothers and learn their stories before I'm filled with regret.
Great post.
What I wouldn't give to listen to the stories of my ancestors.
Can't read yours until I "try" to write mine. If I don't post by the expiration date I'll be back 😉
So true!
I totally agree. My mom has been telling me stories all of my life and now finally I am writing them down. I am capturing them for our children and their children.
I need to record her actual telling of the stories, though, I have not done that yet and there is no reason why not.
I love this post.
♥
Great post! You are going to send me digging. When I was in high school or middle school (oh no it might be lost) I wrote a story that my great grandmother told me. It was probably true but it was so unbelievable. All I can remember is the unbelievable part about her and her family walking from Virginia with all their belonging and a mule. The kids took turns riding the mule. No one left to verify the words but she told them to me. I wrote it down and oh geez I need to find it! ;-/ Good news and bad news. There's only one box it could be in.
The telling of tales, oral traditions, are one of our oldest methods of preserving history, be it intimate, of the family, or out there on the world stage. Long may the tradition continue!
Great post! My Grandpa told THE BEST stories & for the life of me, I can't remember a single one in it's entirety. I really wish I had really listened to him more b/c he was a great man w/ great stories to share.
Very inspiring. So true.
yep. that's right. i enjoy sitting with my mom, and listening to her stories – she's 91 and has a few good ones up her sleeves….
Fabulous! I love looking at old family videos. Such treasures!
Both of my parents died at relatively young ages. My mom was 51 and my dad was 65. Even though I took many pictures of both of them, I wish I had more. Once people are gone the pictures, videos, and memories are all you have left. You are right…memories fade over time. Life is so short! Great post for the topic!
Kathy
http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com/