The Most Precious Gift

If you want to create a special gift for a family member, start by thinking about yourself.

Ideal gifts are personal. They come from the giver’s heart. And what’s more personal and heart-felt than a true story? Your true story.

Consider this question: What do you know about the childhoods or young adult lives of your grandparents or parents? If they didn’t share their stories with you while they were alive, it’s too late. Their stories are gone. But you’re still here, which means it isn’t too late for the people you love to know about your life.

Stories are a wonderful gift, especially if you’re on a budget. A story from you doesn’t cost much. For a couple of dollars, you can write a story in a notebook. With a computer, you can type and print your story for almost nothing. But the gift you create will be priceless!

If you need help with an idea to get started, ask yourself: What was my most memorable birthday? And then go deeper by asking:  What did I learn? How did that experience change me?

If you write a series of stories, look for themes to follow. Ask: What inspires me? How am I unique? Ponder your strengths and weaknesses. Was there ever a time when a strength or weakness created a wonderful or painful situation for you? What do you want people to know about you? What have you overcome during your life?

Once you’ve written a story, you can record yourself reading it. Use a cassette or digital recorder, an app on your phone, or a computer. Your family will cherish an audio or video recording. But, if the technology seems daunting, why not ask a tech-savvy family member or friend to help? Recording could be a fun project to do with a grandchild.

If you’re really shy, or your family doesn’t give gifts, think about giving a gift of your stories to yourself. You might be surprised by the insights you have during your writing or recording process, surprised by what you learn about yourself.

Read more about the value of legacy stories here.

And if you’re not ready to create legacy stories (because you think you’re way too young—even though you’re never too young to start), why not consider helping an older person tell their stories? You can take dictation while they talk, run the recorder, or arrange for someone else to record them. Now that would be a precious gift—for you, for the storyteller, and for anyone who cares about them.

You could also start a group dedicated to personal storytelling. Recruit friends and friends of friends who have different skills than yours so you can all help each other.

No matter which option you choose, the first step will likely be the most challenging. But don’t let fear stop you. Commit to 15 minutes of writing or making a recording on your phone, and I think you’ll be surprised at what happens next.

I wish you great courage on your quest to give the world the most precious gift: Your stories.