3 Steps to Record Family Stories: A Lesson from Nonnas

After watching Nonnas on Netflix, it seemed fitting to encourage you to record your family stories.

While the movie was based on the loss of significant people in Joe's life, the idea was that the restaurant was more than a place to eat.  It was a place to share stories and appreciate the people we enjoy spending time with.

Remember the stories you heard when everyone gathered around the table for celebrations or holidays; maybe when you were a child or maybe as recent as Father's Day?

Those stories hold emotional resonance with you because they made you feel connected to your family.  Whether it was your sibling, your parent, or another relative, they were sharing a life story that you may have never heard before, or that you'd heard so many times you could repeat it yourself.  I know our family has some of those that come out whenever family gets together. "Bless their hearts."

Who will share those meaningful stories after those people are no longer on this earth?

Personally, I cried watching Nonnas because it reminded me that I have regrets around losing my sister, Kristina.  If I had thought through the reality that stage 4 breast cancer was terminal, I could have helped her record her life stories through legacy letters, family portraits, and video conversations. 

Years ago, a family had eaten dinner with my sister when she made spaghetti.  The father of the family complimented the sauce and asked what brand it was because it was delicious.  My sister said that she had made it from scratch.  It wasn't jarred sauce.  He did not believe her until she took him to the kitchen and showed him the tomato sauce cans in the trash.  She was a good cook.

She and I chose not to order red sauce at Italian restaurants because we preferred our homemade sauce over others. 

When you know, you know.  Our sauce is tasty.  As a matter of fact, my immediate family makes pizza from scratch nearly every week.  It's a tradition we started around fifteen years ago to make an intentional family night with our children, but that's a story for another day.  How many times have our kids asked for the recipe for the crust now that they're adults?  Fairly often, so I'm glad we have it in a church cookbook for them.

How does this apply to your family?  Well, I'm glad you asked.  One day there will be things, such as family recipes, that you'll wish you had.  Let's get those kind of things taken care of for you now while you can.

Here's 3 Steps to Record Your Family Stories:

1.  Plan now. 

Intentionally. I'm not even kidding about this one. Every adult I know has a cell phone that is capable of capturing photos and videos.  

Yes, you take photos of your family and friends, but when was the last time you intentionally planned that photo?  Inevitably someone wasn't ready to have a picture taken and they probably weren't expecting those photos to be used as a way to remember them long term.  

Call them and tell them that you want to schedule a specific day and time to get a photo taken with them.  That way they are prepared to have their picture taken and would be proud to have those images shared years from now.

Whether you use your arm, a selfie stick, or a tripod, setting a timer can help to make sure everyone is in place and prepared for this photo.  Of course, you could hire a professional.  In which case, I would love to visit with you more about how we could make that a special moment for you and everyone involved.

2. Start writing.

This one can be a little daunting because you likely want to record something more than recipes, so I suggest making a prioritized list of what stories you'd like to have written out.  Notice that I didn't say typed.  

If you're old enough to have been the recipient of a handwritten card or letter from a grandparent, you recognized their handwriting without having to look at the return address.  There's something special about a letter written by someone you love.

Can you type it?  Sure, you can.  It's better to have it than not have it.

Consider recipes, remedies, and relevant family history.  What will you wish you had after someone you love is gone?  Start there.

As for you?  Make some to write out your own thoughts to pass on to future generations. Click here to find out why you should.

3. Record life stories.

This is probably the one thing that I can't stress enough. Having lost my sister when she was only 40 years old, those who have lost someone close to them will tell you the same thing, don't take the time you have together for granted.

When you're sitting with someone who is about to tell you something from their childhood or give you life advice, hit record on your camera phone and get close.  Ideally they will allow you to video their face, but if not, at least you have the story in their voice.  

I have a grandparent who celebrated her 95th birthday last year.  Multiple times in the last few years, I've sat beside her and recorded her stories.  She agreed to let me have my phone set face down near her, but didn't want me to record her visually.  I'd rather have her voice than nothing at all.

Family history films is a service that we offer. As a matter of fact, I invite you to contact me to book a free consultation to learn how we can do that for you.

Bonus Tip:

Securely store these particular photos and videos. Do your own research, but from what I've done, these are two of the storage options I recommend,  Keep It Saved and Forever.  

People lose and damage their phones fairly often.  It's important that you back up the photos and videos that hold special meaning for you because you want to be able to pass them on to future generations.  

If this resonated with you, I'd love to hear it.  Better yet, share it with someone else who you think would like to get started creating their legacy.