I’ve heard all the excuses. But I’m retired, I don’t have time to write my life story. I don’t know how to write or even spell “it.” How can I write my life story, I don’t know how to type, etc. Well it’s important for you to MAKE some time for this important project and gather some helpers. See if anyone in your family, including a grandkid, is available during the summer months off from school to assist you with this project. Most youngsters even the little ones are very good at using computers and even know how to type on a keyboard. What better time to get serious about this project and do some bonding with your family than during this summer.
Schedule a set time each day to write and even carry a little notepad around with you to jot down ideas as they come. Once you start, the ideas will come easily. Remember-don’t try to eat the whole elephant at one sitting, break this huge project down into little bite sized pieces. What part of your life story is most important to you to share with your descendents? If you served in the military that might be a good place to start or memories of experiences with your grandparents or even your courtship or a special hobby. Your life story doesn’t have to start with your birth and be chronological, but can just be unrelated episodes or stories from different parts of your life.
Remember-you are writing a rough draft FIRST, don’t worry about spelling, grammar or editing-just WRITE freely. Later you can refine your writings, but not if you don’t start. Online sources and many helpful books have been written on this subject. There is even hardware for computers with writing prompts. Personal Historian is an excellent program to get you started or take a class in your community. Any of my columns which are stored online at www.seniorsampler.com/category/linfloyd can be used for ideas or my book Looking Back… which is still available for purchase for $10 can get you going with topics. I’ve had many people say, your experiences sound just like mine. They may be similar, but we are each unique and no one in your family will know YOU unless you write your story.
So choose a time to start working daily on your project and DO IT! No excuses accepted. You’ll be so happy when it’s completed. (Photo above of four generations-my grandmother, mother, me and my son Frank-I've compiled all their histories and many more.)