by Lenna Gonya

Created on: September 23, 2010

Grandparents are full of stories, many of which we have heard a thousand times, and yet, they sometimes fail to sink in. These tales are the key to our family’s past, interesting relatives and connections, and traditions that have been around for hundreds of years. If we know what to listen for, and what questions to ask, these stories are the treasures that make our families unique.

How many of us have struggled to learn something about our family tree, only to vaguely remember that we once heard a story from a grandparent that may have cleared up the mystery. Unfortunately, sometimes the grandparent is gone, and there is no one else to ask. What we wouldn’t give to have a few more minutes to have the opportunity to ask those vital questions now.

Everyone has a history that includes important family information. Where the family came from, who they were related too, what they did for a living. Some generic information, such as birth, death and marriage information can be located easily enough in county records, but the real family history is something that can only be passed down within the family itself, by those who experienced it. These are the important facts that need to be recorded.

If you are lucky enough to have older family members around, grab a recorder, a video camera, and a notebook, and go visiting, or invite them over for a family dinner. Listen, learn, and ask questions. When they bring up the name of a cousin, aunt, uncle, or neighbor, take note, and find out as much as possible about them. Find out where people lived in the area, what they were like, and what they died from. Your older relative will be thrilled and surprised that someone wants to hear their tales.

Of course, not all grandparent’s stories deal with family tales. They may have personal stories of their own that they want to share that are just as important. Childhood stories, work experiences, historical remembrances of special events, and war stories, are all tales that should be recorded.

The truth is, that most non famous people do not sit down and write their own autobiographies, which is a shame. The wealth of information that we can learn from others and that they may someday learn from us, shouldn’t be lost. All of us have a lifetime of experiences that might just benefit someone else.

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