Sharing Your Stories

The importance of sharing stories of the past.

When sharing my genealogy research work with others, I almost always hear, “you must have some interesting stories.” Yes, I have stumbled into discoveries that were funny, unusual, sad, and exciting. But the truth of the matter is: we all have stories in our families that are worth sharing.

In our current social climate, I feel an understanding of your family’s history is a cornerstone to establishing individual pride, respect, and value. The struggles and triumphs your ancestors faced is what helped you become the person you are today; plus, it might even provide insights on your future path. So why not take the time to write down those stories and share them with your children, grandchildren, and cousins? If they are not written somewhere, then eventually they will fade over time and be lost to the ages.

You might be thinking, “I’m not a writer, I could never put something together what others would want to read.” Boloney! That is just the voice of procrastination. Writing about your ancestors’ experiences not only had an impact on you, but on others too. Even if you cannot think of someone that would have an interest today, there will be someone in the future that will be ever so thankful for your efforts. If the task seems to daunting, then partner with some that can help. It might only take a couple of visits to pull something together.

So, how can you share some of these stories in a way that others would enjoy? How would I even do it? Does it have to be long and laborious, or can it be short and sweet? The answer is: it can be whatever you like! There are so many tools at your finger tips that can help you. Below are a few ideas:

• Build a memory album or scrap book

  • You might consider a smaller book with just a few photos along with a story or memory.

  • Include a note near (or on the back) of the photo to identify the people, time, and place it was taken.

  • If you want, you would even include a favorite memory or small story with a photo or memento that is included.

• Create a photo collage

  • Gather old family photos and arrange them as a wall display or in frames to display around your home.

  • On occasion, you could change update the frames with other photos. This might inspire returning guests to ask about the changing photo, which could lead to an opportunity to share some family history.

• Family Recipe Book

  • We all like to eat and wherever families are gathered, food is usually included.

  • Collect recipes from other family members and include family traditional favorites.

  • Include the image of a hand written recipe card from an older family member.

  • Often a few family gathering photos can be included within the pages.

• Short stories

  • How about a collection of short stories or memories from the past? Wouldn’t it be great to include a historical family member in a Christmas or Birthday card?

  • Collect enough short stories and create a little notebook collection to share.

  • These could be shared on a BLOG or your own family website.

  • You might consider recording these in your own voice. That way you can share the right emphasis and important points that you want to get across to the listener.

• Deeper Research

  • If you’re a researcher and really want to dig deep, you could look into the old family stories you know about and validate their accuracy and any other details worth sharing.

  • Put it all together in a book form, or post on your family website or BLOG and share with others.

  • Share your research with others at some regular occasion. Such as a family reunion or as a holiday gift each year.

The main point here is to get started. Jump in and share what you know. Sharing these stories will have a power to pull the family together and focus on a common interest. These stories can be inspiring and even provide a focus for someone that feels lost or disconnected.

So, how can you get started? Which story will begin your journey?