October is Family History Month! As a Photo Manager, my goal is to help others save their photo memories. And tell their stories. Where does your story start? Does it start when you are born? Or does it start with those that came before you?
What does Family History mean to you? When I was a young mother, I only thought of family history as the generations before myself, my ancestors. Now, I think of it in a totally different way. It is more than just the past. We have generations that come after us, and we are their history. The life we are living right now will be the past for our grandchildren.
Knowing the stories of my ancestors is so important to me because I let the opportunity pass to know more about my grandparents before they passed. I lost my last remaining grandmother in 2020, right before the Covid shutdown. My mother asked me to speak at her funeral, and my lack of information and resources saddened me. She didn’t have a journal, so most of my information is facts. I did not get to know my grandmother as a person, a woman. I did not get any words of wisdom from lessons learned from her. This is heartbreaking to me. I don't want my story to go untold. I don't want your story to go untold.
Last month with Save Your Photos month, we talked a bit about creating a legacy. What is a Legacy? A Legacy is traits, traditions, or items handed down to contribute to future generations. Many people think about the things or money that will be passed down. But honestly, I don't think that is the most important part of our legacy. The most valuable aspect of a legacy is our ancestors' wisdom and stories, which help us see them as "real" people.
Are there important things you want your future generations to know about you? Lessons you’ve learned: what is most important to you?
You may be thinking, what does "my story" do with Family History? EVERYTHING! You are the link to the past generations and the future generations! Family History is our way to make vital connections to the past, present, and future!
Think about it! What legacy will you leave?
Preserving family history is so important! My parents have several albums and we are fortunate. My sister has digitized some photos and this is a fantastic reminder. Thank you.