Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom (And Whimsy)

Posted on June 18, 2025 under Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom with one comment

Write your own story

 

“I will remember you,

Will you remember me?

Don’t let your life pass you by,

Weep not for the memories.”

I Will Remember You – Sarah McLachlan

So, you don’t want to spend 300 or so hours writing 115,000 words about your life.

Another Father’s Day has come and gone. It is one of my favourite days of the year, and not for the reasons you might think. Every year, Father’s Day coincides with the U.S. Open golf tournament. I played golf for almost 5 decades before my back decided that walking in the woods was preferable to looking for golf balls in the woods. This year was no different as I watched the best golfers in the world struggle with what is arguably the hardest golf course in the world.

However, that was not the highlight of “dad’s day”. Last Sunday, we had a “fam jam’. Pete flew in from the west coast and all my children and grandchildren got together for food, music and laughs. These gatherings are precious because life is fleeting. As Sarah McLachlan said, “don’t let your life pass you by”. Any opportunity to get together as a family is time well spent.

I’m not much for gifts. There’s nothing much I need at this time in my life other than extra strength Tylenol. I received one very special gift from a family friend. A book.

Since I retired, I have read hundreds of books. I write down the titles so that I don’t make the mistake of reading the same book twice unless it is done intentionally. Lately, I have been going back to read some of the classics. I’m a big Charles Dickens fan and presently, I am wading through Great Expectations.

When I opened the book that was gifted to me, I was surprised to see mostly empty pages. It was then that I realized that it was up to me to write the script.

The book is called “Dad, I Want to Hear Your Story”. This comes from the bestselling “Hear Your Story” line of books. Substitute the word mom for dad and the book will be much different. This book is the place for a person to tell their life story while creating a legacy.

Instead of you trying to write your autobiography, here is a way to tell your story in a format that is simple. Here is your chance to leave something precious to your heirs.

Even though I recently finished the first draft of my autobiography (long form), I was intrigued enough to start filling in the pages of this book.

Here are a few examples.

“What were the prices of the following things in the year you were born”? (I was born in 1951) A loaf of bread: .12. A dozen eggs: .60. The average price of a new car: $1,362. The average cost of a new home: $12, 179.

“What song was on the top of the Billboard charts?” “Too Young” by Nat King Cole.

“What were a few popular television shows?” “I Love Lucy”, “Dragnet”, “The Lone Ranger”.

“What is your favourite childhood memory?”

“Where was your mother born and where did she grow up?’

I think you get the picture.

All the prompts are there. It’s simply a matter of you taking the time to fill in the blanks. I think many of us regret that we didn’t ask more questions of our parents and grandparents. These people were great record keepers, something I fear is a dying breed. Many of the answers can be found quickly using a search engine but the deep, meaningful stuff can only come from family history.

Here’s your opportunity to create your own story that can be shared. I still believe in having written documentation in hard copy form.

Why not give it a try?

Your ancestors will love you for it.

Your life and your stories matter.

Have a great weekend.