Are there stories hiding in plain view right in your home? The china from your grandmother, the hutch your great grandfather built? What about things that were gifts from family or friends? There may even be a stool that you sat on as a child, watching your mother bake, or your father work. Do your children now sit on that same stool and watch you? These are stories that need to be told, and all you need to tell them is a picture of that object or place and the words. You don’t need much, and if you don’t have a picture, describe the scene with the words. Sometimes taking a picture of how things look now at your favorite swimming hole while you tell the stories from your childhood give enough of a glimpse for the reader to enter the story you are telling.
My wife’s family found her grandmother’s student art portfolio in the attic of her uncle’s house. Looking through the work and seeing what was done in what year brought to light the story of when grandmother almost died of influenza in 1917. We have a sideboard that has been handed down through the women in my wife’s family for at least five generations. We’ve had fun getting her mother to tell what stories she remembers about that piece of furniture.
Go through your house looking for the things that have stories large and small that you might want to remember. This is a great thing to do before downsizing or passing certain objects on to the next generation. They might even appreciate and enjoy them more!
Are there places or things in your life that have stories to tell? Share one with us!
