Small Stories
Sometimes we only know a few details of someone’s life. We think “I’m going to dig into that box.” or “Next time I’m with Mom, I’m going to ask her about those photos!” but, life gets busy and we forget or it just doesn’t happen. I know. I get it. In the meantime, there are (always) small stories that we can tell—details that can be recorded. Even little snippets of story recorded are better than nothing. That’s the spirit behind a BIG jar that sits on a shelf in our living room. I call it, Mama’s Jar of TOY stories.
This morning as we were shuffling stuff around, putting up Christmas, I asked Addie, “Do you know why these toys are in this jar?”
She said, “Each one has a page in that little book, right?” She was pointing to my little red Story Starter album with photos of each toy.
“Yes,” I said. Pick one and we’ll read the story. Then Addie chose the little violin.
We pulled it out of the jar and paused just long enough to read this small story from the life of Geoff’s grandfather, Russell Julian. Now, as I type this, there is a father and his daughter sitting on the couch talking about the violin—my husband, who has memories of his grandfather playing the violin—is showing Addie how to hold one that his grandfather kept for students to use.
✨Boom✨ Memory in the making.
And, guess what?
It really is this easy.
❤️ 🖥 I was so tickled two days ago to receive the following email. I share it now with Jane’s permission.
“Dear Stacy,
Thank you for your insights, enthusiasm, talents, and skills. I took a class from you many years ago and have received lots of ideas and skills from you over the years. Thank you. You have helped me to participate in family history in such a creative and fun way.
I just finished a great gift for our grandchildren for Christmas and wanted to thank you. I used your Toy Stories idea and gathered stories from our ancestors and put them in a little album. At the end of each story I asked, “What can I learn from ________ (Grandma Julia/ UncleEdmund/ etc). I found a little toy to represent each story.
On the opening page of the album I wrote:
These stories come from your people. They are not pretend, they are real. These stories helped to make our people who they are. Their stories can teach us many things.
Each story has a toy. As you play with the toy, you will be reminded of the stories of your people. When you need an example of faith, courage, good ideas, kindness, happiness, or miracles in your own life, you will remember your people’s lives.
This book isn’t complete. You will add more stories of your family’s people and your very own stories, too. Each time you add a story, add a toy to the pile.
Grandpa and I love you. We are very grateful that Heavenly Father put us in a family together where we can share our stories and our love and faith to “infinity and beyond.”
Thanks so much Stacy. I hope you have a great and colorful Christmas.
With much appreciation,
”
This is what I want you to know: You have time (before Christmas) to create a gift or two that will keep on giving. A gift of your memories turned into stories—small stories. A gift that someone will actually remember one year from now!
AND, if you want me to help you document, preserve and celebrate personal stories next year, come take my 20in20 class. I will HELP YOU craft 20 personal stories in traditional and non-traditional ways.
