Saving Grandma’s Stories

There I sat: in a place so familiar and comfortable; where I had sat as a child, eating spam and bread-and-butter pickles. (Seriously.) It’s a place where my family had gathered for so many happy moments: my grandmother’s dining room table. It’s a surreal feeling to be so close to your childhood, but further away than ever. I thought about time, family, and aging as I watched my children play with the same toys as me. I loved my Grammy growing up, but becoming a mom gave me a deeper appreciation for it. If anyone knows about raising children: she is this woman. She had five of her own and she raised hundreds of children of all ages throughout her life: she loved every minute. Gram is wealth of knowledge and understanding. It is also a great source of humor.

We laughed, he raised his hand and said: “Oh Jessica, I have so many stories. Did I ever tell you about the time your uncle shot himself in the hand with a BB gun? I realized that it has many stories, Good. Conversations about children and parenting are fun and inspiring. I also really like when she talks about her life as a child: it was a world that fascinates me and a time that I feel nostalgic for, even though it didn’t exist yet.

I wanted to write these memories and anecdotes. – Something we can share with the whole family. We can forget that so-and-so cousin wrote (misspelled) curses on the wall of the house. We can forget the lyrics of the songs his mother sang…

What if Grandma doesn’t want to write a book??

You know that lady loves to talk!! Ask permission to turn on your voice recorder on your phone: and let it talk. (I mean grandparents too – only this time it was Grammy who inspired the idea).

Now you have a piece of personal family history that can be heard for generations. You could even transcribe it, so you can edit it however you want. It could be a great gift for everyone on Christmas or an important birthday.

* Please note that you may want to get permission from the speakers to ‘publish’ their words, even if it is only published as a family newsletter. Make sure they let you know which conversations, for whatever reasons, aren’t for everyone’s ears.**

This is what went through my mind that afternoon, sitting and chatting with my grandmother. We laugh; I learn and try to keep my two little girls from trashing the place; and i love every minute of it.

What is one of your family’s favorite old tales?