Thank you for giving this advice!!! Ruth ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lanita Sconce Smith" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 7:50 AM Subject: [MO-OREGON-HISTORY] Write it down > This is a repeat message that I sent on the list which I have had a > request to repeat again. It is sent to serve as a good reminder to all, > even me. > > > I want > to tell you a couple of quick things about the [ex] mother-in-law's > funeral > and the plans thereof that happened this past weekend.. > > As some of you might know, I wrote a book on my [ex] inlaws and their > special > love story. [at the time married 70 years, and still looked at each > other and talked to each other like they were kids... a true inspiring > love story of real sweethearts!!] It was published over 3 years ago, and > was a surprise Christmas gift to them.. > > Along with the usual, who begat whom, with data info, I had asked my > mother-in-law to write their story... how they met, the first date, > where they lived, what they did, etc. She had no idea it was going into > the book.. She did a whale of a job, and was the perfect story teller... > we learned so much, and she had even added some humorous tidbits in the > story.. > > Not only did the book come in handy, it was a lifesaver to the family!! > When questions came up...'didn't she have a baby sister that died? What > was her name?".. I pulled out the book and said, 'that info is right > here!'... When they asked, 'when did Raymond's dau. die?" [niece]... I > pulled out the book again and said, 'it's right here!".. The look on > the family's faces took a whole new turn when they realized that all the > info they needed was already written down for them, and they didn't have > to 'think' back.... I was looked at in a whole new way of appreciation, > and my fufillment was completed when they used something I had asked the > mother to write down for the book [unbeknownst to her], for the funeral > itself..They used that story, word for word, read by the pastor, and it > just made the service alot more personal! > > So, my advice to any reseacher is..... get that older person to WRITE IT > DOWN... YOU TAPE IT... DO SOMETHING!! Do not stop with names, dates, and > marriages... get the actual stories and memories... and put them into a > book for the family... That Christmas, my husband's siblings looked at > me like 'oh, isn't this nice...yawn yawn' when I gave them a copy and > copies to their parents.... BUT, this weekend, it was a whole new > appreciation! They got out the book a number of times, and deep inside, > I kept saying 'I TOLD you so!!! I TOLD you so!!" > > I know many don't feel like they are writers!! But, people, if we don't > write it down, how will family members know?? Our history is more than > names and faces, along with dates, they were people.. > It's OUR job/love to make these ancestors come alive and maybe, along > the way, excite the living family members with their own history!! > > The burden of thinking back was taken away by everything already being > in the book..I cannot encourage you strongly enough!! Write it down.. > Put it into a book! Put it into several pages... but, for pete's sake.. > do you families a favor by writing down in story form, what you know or > have been told!! AND, you know more than you think!! > > While we have dreaded this weekend for so long, for me personally, I was > finally perceived as an actual family member, I think, because I had > already taken care of gathering some info that they would need.. That > was not only fulfilling, but it validated once again, this passion that > I have, called family history!! What a welcomed relief to know that some > burdens were not present because the information was already provided, > and was actually used fora sad day! > > Please, people, do yourselves and your families a favor....WRITE IT DOWN > and GIVE to family members!!! > > Lanita > > ______________________________ > ------------------------------ > > > ==== MO-OREGON-HISTORY Mailing List ==== > http://www.oregoncountyhistory.net/ > >