I’ll also tell her how I watched trees bending to the ground as tornado ripped by the huge windows of that same office; and later how the trees were cut down to facilitate moving a historic home to the historic district. The huge Victorian style home sold for a dollar to the first person who could afford to move it. Somewhere I have a photo of that move – many people turned out to watch a mansion rolling down the boulevard.

The stories you share and swap between generations should be preserved. Record the telling on an audio mp3; video and save the digital files; or take notes and write it up – maybe another family member will want to edit your audio CD, video or book for more family members in the future to hear. With digital publishing, it is very easy and economical to publish just a few copies of your story, whatever form it takes, for personal use. An office supply store can often make and bind copies cheaply, too.

Now that I think about that tiny baby granddaughter, I realize there’s no guarantee that I’ll be around when she’s old enough to hear and understand my stories. If you feel that your legacy should be more than objects and money, get started on saving your stories now, either with a family member, alone, or with the help of a professional.