Lanita, I think everyone needs to be reminded of the "write it down" principle. My mother is 92 and every time she tells us a story about the past I ask her to write it in a story for us. I have quite a few stories and I have learned about things I had never never been told. She even told us this past weekend what kind of vehicle she and my dad had when they got married. Pat Miller Dallas,tX Lanita Sconce Smith wrote: > 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/ > > >