A Different View of Writing Your History
As we try to breakup the monotony of these days at home, try this little exercise: make a record of your every day life now, today. You need not write your life story with data and nothing else. Instead, consider what matters to you and write about that.
While we often think of history as the big picture what brings it home to us is every day life of everyday people. When looking back through our things its notable what isn’t there: photos of our favorite things and of our daily life. So today, try to answer the list of questions below, or make your own questions that remind you of funny stories with the people and animals in the places we love. Take pictures. Yep. Its a feel-good exercise!
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Take a picture of your house, apartment, front door. I can’t find a really good picture of my maternal grandparents home and none of the outside of my paternal grandparents.
Siegel farm house (maternal grandparents) We tend to take pictures of flowers, garden, people, even the street, but not necessarily the house. Do it today. It doesn’t matter if the yard isn’t perfectly mowed or the door needs painted. Years from now you may find it funny what mattered “then!” I have photos of my parent’s house and mine, but not everywhere else I have lived in between.
- Make a list of your pets now and throughout your life. It’s OK if you can’t remember whether you got your favorite dog in 5th or 6th grade, but its fun anyway. And take pictures, or collect the ones of previous pets into a (computer/online/hard copy) folder.
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Favorite food you eat out.
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Favorite food your significant other/friend makes.
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Favorite food your mother/father makes/made.
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Favorite food you cook.
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Funniest picture of yourself.
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Funniest picture of your pet.
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Favorite picture of yourself.
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Favorite place you have visited.
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Place you want to visit.
- Memorable moment in your life. What is the first thing that comes to your mind?
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Coolest wild animal you have ever seen in the flesh.
Me & Simba, Romania, April 2007 -
Farthest you have ever driven by yourself. Why did you make the trip?
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Thing you are most grateful for at this moment.
You can post these on Facebook, answer in comment section on RomaMaryGrace.com or write them on a post-it note, type it in a Word doc, or text them to a friend or relative, but trust me, do it today and some day in the future having it will make your (and perhaps a relative’s) day.