WHY STORIES?
"Our memories can be the most important legacy we leave behind."
Stories are filled with insights, humour, sadness, joy, courage, triumphs and wonderful life lessons that ought to be preserved. They give us a sense of connection with our heritage and deepen our familial bonds.
Writing down our stories means they can remembered, relived, and then passed down to future generations. Sadly, our stories are too often lost when we pass away.
Our personal experiences and memories are very powerful. In a seminal 1963 paper, Dr Robert Butler noted that a process of a 'Life Review', where older people reminisced about their lives, was a vital cog in giving meaning to life and processing stored memories.
A 2006 study asked children 20 'Do you know'? questions about their family history. They found that the children who were aware of their history, had a higher self-esteem, a stronger sense of control over their lives and a positive belief in family functionality. 'Hearing these stories gave the children a sense of their history and a strong ‘intergenerational self’. Even if they were only nine, their identity stretched back 100 years, giving them connection, strength and resilience,” he said.
Stories deserve to be told, not just to reminisce but to preserve memories and strengthen our connection to loved ones.