“What Would I Say?”
Writing your personal history isn’t as hard as you might think. If you don’t know off the top of your head what to say, take a deep breath and keep reading…
Think about times in your life when you’ve shared conversation or chit-chat with someone; you’ve probably shared a story from some period of your life. You may not have written it down or recorded it, but you could—very easily.
Engaging in dialogue with a friend provides wonderful opportunity for exchanging information…stories. If your friend is inquisitive, all the better, as he or she can help you glean bits of priceless pieces of your life to begin recording your history. You may want to use these opportunities to your advantage.
Still stuck on what you might say? Never fear; I’ve compiled a number of questions or prompts to help you get started. Here are just a few:
- Where did you live as a child? (…in a rural town or a city, on a farm, in an apartment?)
- What did you do there? (…neighborhood activities, games, chores…)
- Do you remember any special “firsts” from your childhood? (first car ride, first time in movie theater, first loss of tooth…)
Stay tuned for more suggestions on writing your personal history.
Linda Spence, Legacy (Athens, OH: Swallow Press/Ohio University Press, 1997).
