In my opinion life is the ultimate teacher. Our experiences, all the good and bad and in between, are powerful lessons. Both for our own personal growth, but also as something that can be shared and perhaps provide some insight and help for others.
Some of you are probably thinking, “Sure, that may be true for the important people in the world. But not for me. I am nobody special, just another average, garden variety human being.”
I say, "hold on there."
Who is to say whether or not you are an important or significant person?
You don’t have to make it into the history books to be considered significant. Your personal history is important, maybe even fascinating to your family, particularly your descendants.
Just about anyone I speak to about the topic of family history wishes they knew more about some of their relatives. Certainly most of us wish we had firsthand knowledge of what life was like for our great-grandparents.
Even though most people agree that having some personal or family history preserved is a grand idea, few people consider it urgent.
That is unfortunate, for we all are living on borrowed time. At least when you consider each day is a “present” and we have no guarantee on the length of our lifetime.
Life is a great teacher.
Our experiences over the years help shape us, our views and values. When you choose to tell your story, in a written, video or audio form, you are getting an opportunity to reflect on what you have learned. More importantly, you are providing a record for others.
An old proverb says, “When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground.” Since we all have much to teach each other from our experiences we don’t have to let our stories die when we do. Give some real consideration to how you will preserve and share what life has taught you.