We love to hear our elders reminisce about holidays. Their memories help tie families together and strengthen bonds. These gatherings  sometimes bring challenges but they sure do stick in our hearts and minds. The topic of holidays is great material for story gathering, especially for the younger generations who’d love to know what your childhood was like. So much changes over the decades, world events, technology, customs — open up the door for a sneak peek into this part of your story. Make sure you add in some of these details as you go through the following questions. You’ll all be glad you did.

 

The book Recording Your Family History  provides some great prompts for recording your childhood holiday memories:

 

 “Think back and describe who would be there

around the table and what it was like for you on that holiday.”

 

Here’s a few questions to start with:

Can you describe in detail one particularly memorable year?

What type of food would you eat?

What was your favorite tradition?

What was it like?

Were there special religious festivities as part of your holiday celebration?

Did you ever receive or give a gift with especially great meaning?

How about now, what do your holidays look like?

Do you still make special recipes handed down in your family?

What holidays have you celebrated that carried forward from your ancestors? Tamales? Lutefisk? Baklava?

 

I’d love to hear about your holiday memories, drop me a line.

Karen

Celebrate Agriculture! Whatever language you say it in, shout it loud this fall. I’ve been crazy busy this week getting ready to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of an irrigation district in southern New Mexico. It’s  fun to be part of telling the story.  I’ve been immersed in great photos old and new of hardworking people building, farming, irrigating and otherwise engaged in the age old struggle to produce food, clothing and shelter. It’s humbling and awe inspiring.

So this harvest season my thanks and appreciation to all who make this happen. Remember your agricultural roots next time you sit down to some enchiladas and pecan pie.

As long as you’re breathing, seize life, choose joy!

We need to be reminded of the power of ordinary conversations and their ability to encourage. This morning I interviewed a colleague at a local business where I do some public information writing. She is professional, friendly and extremely competent. Before today we had only visited on a surface level for a few minutes at a time. But today was different. We sat and just talked. Yes, I was interviewing her for the company newsletter, but I was also just listening to her story. She spoke about resilience, about choosing joy in difficult circumstances, about loving your children and valuing your work and friendships.

Her face lit up when she shared about some of the amazing adventures she’s had that bring a sense of fun and a zest for life that inspires her. She is generous hearted and inspires her adult kids by scuba diving, learning to fly a drone for work, challenging herself with weightlifting training and rescuing abandoned furry friends, giving them a new home.

She spoke of the power of unexpected surprises as God watches out for you. Of all the people who have “got your back” that you weren’t even aware of. Her delight in choosing to live a full and interesting life is contagious. I left our visit inspired to live life more fully, reminded to choose joy and kindness when life is hard.

 

Over the next few days, choose to go a little deeper in the conversations you have with those in your life circle. Make the connection, human to human, you’ll both be the richer for it.

Karen

Helping someone share their story changes lives. The process of speaking and hearing memories and experiences will transform you both. We have a craving to be heard. This is one of the best gifts I can give people I work with. Yes, it is wonderful to hold your book in your hands and share this tangible expression with those you care about. But the entire process of creating it is validating and honoring.

 

Think of the stories that have stayed with you over the years. I bet one or two came to mind that have worked themselves down deep into your soul. It may have been an event or a person/relationship that was so transformative that you mark time in your life by referencing it or them. This can be a powerful force for good. Even simple life lessons shared with others have a way of resonating in our minds and hearts long after the conversation or event. Use this to gain momentum in getting started with your memoir. Or use it as a gift you give to someone you cherish—invite them to share their story and really listen.

 

Short and Sweet Memoir Exercise:

Give yourself 5 minutes:

1. Think about some person or event that was a trail marker in your life.
2. Write or talk out the basic story — no second guessing about whether it’s important or not. Write or speak    everything you can get down in just 5 minutes, then stop.
3. Now, spend 10 more minutes, go back and fill in details, just scribble them in the margins.
4. Next, set it aside for a day or two.
5. Finally, go back and read it again and fill in anything else that you’ve recalled while your story was bubbling away on the back burner of your mind.

 

My free gift to you— just because October is my birthday month!

Want the above mini-memoir exercise professionally edited? I will be choosing one story (max 3 pages) and up to 3 photos sent in to Karen@rememberingthetime.net  and will work with you to edit, polish and make it the best it can be. Whether you do this for yourself or a family member or friend, now’s your chance to craft a beautiful little life story (yes, they can be this short, just a snapshot). My goal is to bring you joy with your story. Do the exercise, send it in to me and I’ll contact you if you’re the winner.

Happy Story Telling!

Karen

Anam Cara

A Celtic phrase meaning “the essence of true friendship.” Here’s a few that might sound familiar:

David and Jonathan—Bible (Samuel I and II )

Anne and Diane—Anne of Green Gables

Pooh and Piglet—Well, you know

 

According to Wikipedia (and other more scholarly sources):

Anam Cara or anamchara is an old Gaelic term for “soul friend”; anam meaning “soul” and cara meaning “friend”. The term was popularized by Irish author John O’Donohue….

(Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom)

Our friendships profoundly impact us. True ones that go deep are treasured, uncommon and can be as strong as or stronger than family ties. These are the souls we choose to share our lives with. While writing this I accidentally typed “livers” instead of “lives”. Yes, sometimes folks even share an organ with a friend in need. There’s more than one way to share life.

 

Give a gratitude shout-out to a dear friend! Just type their 1^st name if you’re reading this on social media. Now, call, text, write and let them know one thing you love about them.

 

If you’re writing your memoir on or interviewing someone else, make sure to ask about their best friend growing up. You can dedicate an entire chapter to exploring this answer. In fact, while working on this section you’ll probably run the gamut from laughter to tears. I’ve done this exercise with young kids and adults, age doesn’t matter. The smiles, chuckles, eye twinkles and sighs show how much these memories shape our hearts and souls. Treasure them.

 

One of my favorite humor writers is Patrick McManus. His stories of adventures with his childhood best friend will delight you with a hefty dose of belly laughs. Try this one, The Night the Bear Ate Goombaw  (my favorite) for a great read and some “good medicine!”

 

A merry heart does good,  like medicine…

Proverbs 17:22

 

(Thank you, Abigail Eiceman, for the great discussion on Anam Cara)