LEAVING A LEGACY- EPISODE TEN

One hundred years from now, will anyone know who you were? Many people believe they have nothing of importance to pass on. You don’t have to be wealthy, famous, or talented to leave a meaningful legacy for your descendants. Some of the most inspirational legacies have been left by people outside of history books and newspaper headlines. In the last episode, you’ll see how ordinary people are creating and passing down extraordinary legacies.

Tips

• Gather and organize your family photographs.
• Explore new photo imaging technology that allows you to make prints of your family photographs without a negative, then share family photographs with other members of your family.
• Hold a family reunion.
• Start a family newsletter.
• Look for ways to express your family history through painting, needlework, music or other creative channels.
• Link into your ancestral homelands through traditional foods, festivals, and customs.

Suggested Activities

Start keeping a personal journal or diary. Record your thoughts and feelings as well as the events of your day-to-day life. Which ancestors on your pedigree chart do you identify with the most? If you could talk to them about their lives, what questions would you ask? What would you like to know about them that you haven’t been able to find through your research? With that in mind, begin to write your own life story. Record some personal, biographical information about yourself, including a physical description, the places you’ve lived, and your professional training and experience. Compile a list of other topics that you would like to include in your personal history, keeping in mind the things you wish you knew about your ancestors, and schedule a regular time for working on it. If writing it down seems difficult, talk into a tape recorder or video camera and then find someone who can do a written transcription for you.

One hundred years from now, your descendants may not only know who you were but find their lives forever changed for the better because of the legacy you left for them.

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