Have you written your personal history?
A personal history is one of the nicest gifts we can leave our children and grandchildren. Telling your story allows your grandchildren and even your great-great-great grandchildren a glimpse into your life. Write your story!
One of the items I treasure most is my mom's diary -- from the year she met my dad. After they met, each page has only one word scrawled across it -- Happy. Every page. If you flipped through mom's diary, you would only see happy, happy, happy, happy, happy! What a treasure! My mom's diary was written in the 1930's - 80 years ago. What will your family read about you in 80 years?
It makes me wonder what piece of my own personal history my children will treasure. Join me as I investigate writing my own personal history.
The photo is my dad's family. Do my adult children know the family stories? I am glad we have family reunions on that side of the family. I know they have at least heard some of the stories. I hope they remember some of the tales they have been told.
One of the items I treasure most is my mom's diary -- from the year she met my dad. After they met, each page has only one word scrawled across it -- Happy. Every page. If you flipped through mom's diary, you would only see happy, happy, happy, happy, happy! What a treasure! My mom's diary was written in the 1930's - 80 years ago. What will your family read about you in 80 years?
It makes me wonder what piece of my own personal history my children will treasure. Join me as I investigate writing my own personal history.
The photo is my dad's family. Do my adult children know the family stories? I am glad we have family reunions on that side of the family. I know they have at least heard some of the stories. I hope they remember some of the tales they have been told.
Sketch by my grandmother
I want to be sure my children and grandchildren know that my grandmother sketched this picture. She signed and dated it 1906! When we were children, the picture hung in our house. For some reason, I remember calling it Gre-Gre!What item in your home is unidentified as a family treasure?
Make a note about that item today! Leave a record, a story of all these family treasures in your house! When your children are in their 50's and 60's and become grandparents themselves, they will suddenly have a keen interest in all family history items. Don't leave all those questions unanswered.
Give your children and grandchildren a beautiful geneology --but please add the personal stories! The stories are the joy of your history! Wouldn't you like to know now how your grandmother felt when she voted for the first time?
The Journey: A Celebration of Life: A Guidebook for Writing Your Life Story
Amazon Price: $15.99 (as of 11/27/2009)
How Well Do Your Children Know You?
Information on the web to get you started today!
- PersonalHistoryHelp.com: how to write great personal histories
- A website designed to teach the steps to follow to write great personal histories
- Personal History - Helping families and communities preserve their stories
- Recording your stories and bindng them into beautiful volumes for individuals, families, communities and corporations.
- Legacies and Legends
- REMINISCENCE & LIFE REVIEW
Lee Q. Miller
Personal Historian
3147 Wimbledon LanePhone: 803-366-3065 - You are Cordially Invited to Share Your Family Legends
- Years ago a guy I was dating told me the story of his uncle who had a shrunken head of a Nazi soldier that he brought back from WWII.He was very proud of his uncle, so I was gentle when I told him that that couldn't be true. In the first place even Nazis didn't shrink heads and certainly not of thei
Family Furniture Tells Our Story, Too
Do make notes about furniture that is in your home that has been passed from generation to generation.On one particular small table, I purchased a small personalized bronze plaque. Engraved on the plaque is all the important information about the piece. Now that won't get lost for sure! It is screwed in to the bottom of that little table! As long as that little table survives, the story will survive with it!
Questions to Get You Started!
Where did you live when you were in grade school?Who was your first grade teacher?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
Did you have a pet?
What was your childhood address?
Where did you go to school?
Who was your fourth grade teacher?
Can you name all of your teachers and describe them?
How did your family celebrate holidays?
What are your favorite books? your favorite quotes?
What did your family eat for dinner?
Where did your family eat dinner?
If you did not have television, what did you do?
How old were you when your family purchased a television?
Who was your best friend in grade school? Are you still in contact?
What was your favorite game?
Did you go swimming? Where?
Did you participate in sports? Which ones?
Who was your best friend in high school? Are you still in contact?
You probably think your adult children know all of these things about you. Ask them. I would imagine that they do not, and I think that is going to be a surprise to you. Come back to this site and let me know in the comments section. We all think because our children have lived with us their whole lives, that they know all about us. Let me assure you -- they do not.
You can also learn how to create life history videos. Just click here. Or create a spiritual ethical will. Leave something of yourself for your children, grandchildren, neighbors, friends, students.
PHOTO: Our Aunt Lillie - oh, the questions I would like to ask her! What a wonderful lady! (Do my now adult children know about my Aunt Lillie? I wonder.)
"Your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will appreciate your story!"
How to Write Your Personal History.
Amazon Price: $11.98 (as of 11/27/2009)
Your Autobiography: More Than 300 Questions to Help You Write Your Personal History
Amazon Price: (as of 11/27/2009)
How to Write Your Personal History
Amazon Price: (as of 11/27/2009)
Write It Yourself I: A Somewhat Painless Guide to Writing Your Personal History
Amazon Price: (as of 11/27/2009)
More Questions to Choose From
What do you think are the 3 most important things in life?
What are your favorite books and television shows?
What do you think the world will look like in 2100?
Who is/was your favorite relative?
Who was your best friend in high school?
How old were you when you learned to drive? to cook?
What has been your best decision in life so far?
What has been your worst decision in life so far?
What is the nicest thing someone has done for you?
What was the most serious loss of your life? How did you handle that?
List 10 things that make you laugh.
What is your favorite joke?
What are your favorite books and television shows?
What do you think the world will look like in 2100?
Who is/was your favorite relative?
Who was your best friend in high school?
How old were you when you learned to drive? to cook?
What has been your best decision in life so far?
What has been your worst decision in life so far?
What is the nicest thing someone has done for you?
What was the most serious loss of your life? How did you handle that?
List 10 things that make you laugh.
What is your favorite joke?
Where Do I Begin?
Grab a notebook (a spiral bound composition book works well). Set aside one hour to answer the simple questions above. If you do nothing else on your personal story but this, your children will have that little treasure -- and that much is better than no notes at all.
Once you start remembering, you will find many things to write about. Determine to write something in your book once a week, or once a month.
Will you write something once a year at least? Look at the Christmas Journal below. If you only journaled Christmases as you experience them, that would be a wonderful treasure for your children.
Whatever you decide to do, do something! Your children and grandchildren will be so glad you did!
Summer 2009 - My husband and I answered 10 of these questions and I typed them. We presented them to our adult son as a gift. I am sure he filed them somewhere, probably a bit puzzled about why we did that. But 30 years from now, those silly little notes will bring him great pleasure -- and we know that!
Blog Posts about Personal Histories
- LOOKING FOR HISTORY – CHECK YOUR GRAND PARENTS' ATTICS « A Little ...
- Items such as personal diaries, letters, photographs, artifacts, keepsakes and other Civil War related items in your possession could contain valuable historical information of great significance presently unknown to the research ...
- Lily Koppel's “The Red Leather Diary” : Legacy Multimedia Blog
- If you follow me on any of the social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, then you know a couple of weeks ago I spent the week in Valley Forge Pennsylvania at the Association of Personal Historians annual conference. ...
- Iain Dale's Diary: Book of the Day: The Yes Minister Miscellany
- His minister was Jim Hacker, a politician who had never previously held government office, and whose interests, it has to be said, were more in securing personal and political advantage than in the impartial and orderly conduct of the ... Many political historians attribute to these two decisions the subsequent public contempt for politicians, political institutions and also political processes which reached its apogee with the parliamentary expenses scandal many years ...
Christmas Memories
Our Christmas Memories Book: Celebrating Ten Years of Christmas Memories and Photos
Amazon Price: (as of 11/27/2009)
Have you written your personal history?
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Do your children and grandchildren know your favorite childhood songs?
It is time to teach the children to sing for joy!!
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Songs for Family Sing-Along
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Does your family sing together? What songs are you teaching your children? It seems we have been singing since early childhood! We are not accomplished vocalists. We sing for the pure joy of singing! It is my hope that some of the songs on this lens...
Writing Personal Histories on Squidoo
We grew up in the small town of Pendleton, SC, where, indeed, everybody knew our name! My sister, Ohme, (Nancy) has created a series of personal history lenses -- and each one is a treasure indeed. Why not do this for your friends and family? Who could you interview this week? Whose story could you tell?-
Growing Up in Pendleton SC in 1950's and 60's
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Pendleton SC Town Council woman Sandra Gantt was asked to speak to the Leadership Pendleton Class of 2009. She was asked to tell how it was to grow up Pendleton. I was so glad that I was able to hear Sandra's talk. She was so interesting and enlighte...
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Pendleton Memories - A Series
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This is a lensography of the Pendleton Memories Series. I hope you will visit each one because they are so different and offer much in learning about Days Gone By. I started this series as a way for certain folks to post their memories on the web an...
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Growing Up In Pendleton SC - Jeanie Sims Hunt
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Jeanie Sims was a name that I was familiar with but I really did not get to know Jeanie until recently. She is a couple of years younger than I am but I do remember her during our growing up years. How did we get back in touch? It all began right he...
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Pendleton Memories 3 - Nell Seawright Reeves
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Nell Seawright Reeves shares her memories of growing up in Pendleton SC in the 1920's and 1930's. I had a delightful afternoon today visiting with Nell Reeves and her daughter. We sat on the porch and I thought about taking notes but was rea...
Why are our personal histories so important?
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- royalfoust royalfoust Nov 21, 2009 @ 6:13 pm
- When my grandmother passed my sister compiled all of he notes and pictures then did a Family Tree from the 1700's. Amazing story. I am 74 and keep thinking that other people shoud do this but now realize that I had better get going. Love this lens.
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- JenOfChicago JenOfChicago Sep 30, 2009 @ 1:15 pm
- This is sooo important, and you listed some great questions to get people started. I think Thanksgiving gatherings are also a good time to share these stories with your family, especially if someone happens to bring along a video camera.
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- Tipi Tipi Sep 10, 2009 @ 2:15 pm
- Stopped by looking for directions on how to go about writing a personal history!
There's no time like the present to get started. It might turn into a book!
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- eccles1 eccles1 Sep 8, 2009 @ 3:10 pm
- love this lens!
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- Aug 23, 2009 @ 5:33 pm
- Nice ideas! I began a scrap book when I was having problems and the doctors said I wouldn't see 30. My daughter was only 4 at the time. It has my favorite things, what I love, things like that.
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- Tobbie Tobbie Aug 19, 2009 @ 5:57 am
- Thanks for the squidcast (and reminder)
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- mysticmama mysticmama Aug 18, 2009 @ 6:33 pm
- Wonderful!
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- BevsPaper BevsPaper Aug 9, 2009 @ 8:03 pm
- Fantastic ideas on writing a personal history. You've inspired me to start!
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- Mountainside-Crochet Mountainside-Crochet Aug 7, 2009 @ 11:10 am
- Joan, this is an excellent reminder for me to begin writing my family history. I've thought about it often, yet keep putting it off. Time to get busy. I remember talking to my dear grandmother late in her life and she asked me if there were questions I had or stories I wanted to learn about HER family and her life as a youngster and to ask them before it was too late. Well, I was in my 20's at the time and thought I'd heard all the stories and didn't have a deep interest at the time. Today, with grandchildren of my own, I dearly wish I had learned more about my grandmother and her memories of a time now lost to me. Maybe my children and grandchildren won't be interested in my memories, but I should at least give them the choice by writing them down. Thank you.
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- Sistalove Sistalove Jul 22, 2009 @ 3:21 pm
- For the last 10 years or so, I have been obsessed with my family history. I have made lots of film clips and written documents from about it asking questions about the family with stories and facts. I have been doing the same for my daughter who is 17 months. I have a huge memory box as well as diaries which she will get when she is older. I will definately be using your lens to improve on what I already have. thanks :)
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- JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Jul 16, 2009 @ 5:25 pm
- Dropped back by for another visit!
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- Tipi Tipi Jul 5, 2009 @ 9:00 am
- Great motivational lens Joan. Interesting and educational. I do keep a journal, but never thought of writing my history before. My kids would like that! - Thanks you!
Susie
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- Expressions Expressions Jun 30, 2009 @ 8:12 pm
- Yes I believe I will write my history of the Wards now! Thank you!
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- CCGAL CCGAL Jun 27, 2009 @ 5:18 pm
- This is so important. I wish I knew more about my mom and dad. I have some really bad home movies of me playing the accordion - we were trying to get one song done right without interruptions - and I watched them the other night and decided that as bad as they are, my kids will appreciate them someday. Leaving memories for our children is important, I think, now that I realize how few I have of my folks. Another powerfully moving lens you have here, my friend.
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- SilverBlueRose SilverBlueRose Jun 22, 2009 @ 3:23 am
- I keep a diary, but I'm not sure I want anyone in my family to read it after I'm dead! I guess there is a difference between keeping private diaries and writing up family history to be passed down.
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- Spook Spook Jun 21, 2009 @ 11:02 am
- Another gem but I just feel that I'm not clever enough to do this.
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- LizMac60 LizMac60 Jun 21, 2009 @ 10:43 am
- Great lens. Your questions to facilitate memories are very useful.
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- spirituality spirituality May 15, 2009 @ 10:06 am
- Great lens - you've been blessed by a squidoo angel :)
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- OhMe OhMe May 10, 2009 @ 11:53 pm
- Thank you for featuring my Pendleton Memories lens here on this wonderful lens.
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- Carol_Wingert Carol_Wingert Feb 4, 2009 @ 8:07 am
- I love this lens. I have soooooo many photos of my grandmothers family...weddings, etc, but no ids of anyone! Lovely photos, but lost history!
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- luvmyludwig luvmyludwig Feb 4, 2009 @ 8:02 am
- great lens! I am working on it. My granny wrote a novel based on her life and I want a copy and also a copy of her poetry. It is so interesting to learn about people you love at different times in their lives because people change so much.
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- luvmyludwig luvmyludwig Feb 4, 2009 @ 8:02 am
- great lens! I am working on it. My granny wrote a novel based on her life and I want a copy and also a copy of her poetry. It is so interesting to learn about people you love at different times in their lives because people change so much.
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- Tobbie Tobbie Jan 23, 2009 @ 4:48 am
- Great lens....Good idea about putting a brass plate on a pice of family furniture. 5 stars
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- Joan4 Joan4 Dec 21, 2008 @ 9:54 am | in reply to Margo_Arrowsmith
- I totally agree - filming yourself and your relatives is a wonderful way to preserve history -- and voices! Audio is wonderful too!
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- Margo_Arrowsmith Margo_Arrowsmith Dec 21, 2008 @ 9:08 am
- There is always time to do this. You may not always have time to film them talking.
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- clouda9 clouda9 Dec 16, 2008 @ 12:23 pm
- Joan you did a beautiful job on this lens. I love all your prompting questions. Thanks!
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- PaulaFarris PaulaFarris Nov 29, 2008 @ 8:27 pm
- This lens is GREAT! Thank you for ideas I hadn't thought of like family heirlooms. My Mom just passed away in September and I am so glad that she took the time to label the antique doll that belonged to Aunt Alma and the hurricane lamp that was her Grandmothers. I know some of the stories. but not as many as I would like to know. Thanks for the inspiration.
http://www.squidoo.com/TellYourStory
Paula Farris
"The Recovering Nonachiever"
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- dmhinman dmhinman Nov 20, 2008 @ 11:37 pm
- Hi, like your lens. I have one about locating people please check it out.
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- Family-Legacy-Mom Family-Legacy-Mom Nov 20, 2008 @ 6:24 pm
- Your questions here are marvelous. I think that if everyone answered the questions that you have brought up here, then it shouldn't be hard to write your stories: Your Family Legacy!
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- LindaJM LindaJM Nov 14, 2008 @ 11:03 pm
- I'm working on an autobiography now. I'm 40,000 words into it and up to about age 14. I think this is going to be a very long story!
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- Pantherart Pantherart Nov 14, 2008 @ 9:36 pm
- Another great ideal for a lens Joan you just come up with so many good ideals another 5 stars
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- chefkeem chefkeem Oct 23, 2008 @ 10:39 pm
- Fabulous idea, Joan. A hearty SquidAngel Blessing for you!
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- seedplanter seedplanter Oct 23, 2008 @ 10:32 pm
- Joan, I've bookmarked this so I can come back and devour every word! You have inspired me. I have journals dating back 37 years, for every year of marriage, but I have not taken time to write out all that you suggested. (*Love the idea of noting certain family pieces of furniture, too. My daughter asked me just yesterday about something I inherited from my parents.)
This is my kinda lens! I'm lensrolling it to my Recipes for Life lens. It has the same nostalgic feel. *****'s!
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- CCGAL CCGAL Sep 15, 2008 @ 10:52 pm
- Given that my father was 57 when I was born, I never knew my paternal grandparents at all. What a treasure any little scrap of information about them would be!
This is probably the most thought provoking lens I've seen -- and the most likely to call me to action. Good Job!!!
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- JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Sep 15, 2008 @ 8:14 am
- Ah, isn't Squidoo and Wikipedia great for enabling us listologists and genealogists for writing our own personal history? I am so thankful for them and for the internet. 5*****
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- Jewelsofawe Jewelsofawe Sep 1, 2008 @ 3:08 pm
- I like the thought of this. I have journals, but I have not done this.
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- NancyOram NancyOram Aug 30, 2008 @ 9:39 pm
- I've kept a personal journal for many years, plus I'm lucky enough to have my mom's, grandfather's, great grandfather's and lots of letters and other family history stuff. I'm starting to make lenses based on their memories, such as the 1906 earthquake. Great lens, Joan!
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- Margo_Arrowsmith Margo_Arrowsmith Aug 20, 2008 @ 9:34 am
- I LOVE this lens. I am going to link to it from my /familylegends lens! Thanks!
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- ElizabethJeanAllen ElizabethJeanAllen Aug 6, 2008 @ 5:01 am
- I haven't written our family history. I should. We lose so much when we don't
Great lens
5*
Lizzy
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- RichLeigh RichLeigh Aug 5, 2008 @ 11:03 am
- A very interesting lens. I shall definitely eventually be creating a personal history of some description. It's an absolutely excellent idea to do so.
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Lensmaster Joan4 has been a member since October 16 2007, has rated 3,683 lenses, favorited 3,782, and has created 189 lenses from scratch. Joan Adams donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund. This member's top-ranked page is "Thanksgiving Songs- Sing for Joy!". See all my lenses
by Joan4
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