Ben Franklin stated, “If you want to be remembered well after you pass away, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing.” He obviously recognized the power of a written legacy! Do you?
A Life to Remember
For Mother’s Day my daughter gave my mother a little journal to complete. The journal consisted of a series of questions for her to answer regarding her life – what things were like for her growing up, what she liked, what she hated, the lessons she had learned, what she would like to pass on to others, etc.. It was just a small book; with really only a few lines to answer every question but it got me thinking. All of us can be successful and appreciated authors by writing about our own lives.
And what could be an easier way of getting started writing than to chronicle your own events, thoughts, and feelings for future family generations? Sure the majority of people around the world aren’t going to care that you grew up in Howell, NJ during the 70’s, that you learned your work ethic slinging hamburgers at Burger King, or that your greatest accomplishment was not running a million dollar business but raising 5 responsible, caring, successful children. No the world may not care, but your family will.
I asked my daughter if I could read what my mother wrote and she agreed. I was impressed! In just those few little lines, under almost every question, I learned something new about my mom. It left me wanting more. And it left me with a new determination to take a break from writing “recommendation and information” books for a while, and spend the time writing a book about my life.
I’ve learned and experienced a lot of things in my time on this planet. Some have been good and some not so good. And I know I’ve impacted people along the way – some positively, some negatively. But so much of what I know and the insights I have gained remain locked in my own head where no one can really benefit after I’m gone. I’m no Benjamin Franklin and I realize I’m not going to radically change the world with a chronicle of my life. But I can leave a published gift of love to my family for generations to come.
