Save your family history

My siblings and I were just given an amazing treasure - links to download over 4 hours of my grandmother's oral history - recorded in the 70's by my uncle.  He, his wife and children sat with her one day and got her to tell stories.  And taped them.  And prompted her when it seemed necessary and appropriate, but that was usually met with her saying something like, "I'll tell you that, but let me finish telling you THIS first."  (Anyone who knows me or any of my family knows we have a strong "talkie" gene in our pool.)  She would have been in her 70's then (she was born in 1897) and the things she remembered are fascinating.

I have only listened to the first 2 hours so far.  I plan to replay these repeatedly, because just those first 2 reveal, on replaying them, something I missed the first time.  I, being a good little multi-tasker, made the mistake of staying online and checking e-mail, and Facebook and Twitter while playing the first bit.   I will not be making that mistake again.  These tales deserve my full attention, and will henceforth command it.  I mean, we’re talking real live GHOST STORIES, here!  Haunted axe!  Haunted clock!  Cats will eat the noses off of dead people, so you must always make sure you put the cat out when you have a corpse laid out. (And THAT’S why they yowled when someone died – they just wanted back inside!)  All told in my dear Grandmother’s no-nonsense, no-holds-barred inimitable conversational style.   Pure gold.

Which leads me to the purpose of this note.    Listening to my grandmother's voice across the decades has put me in mind of all my friends and family who are fortunate enough to still have elderly relatives.  For the sake of your children, and theirs, and on down the line, if you have a Mother, Grandmother, Aunt, Father, Grandfather, Uncle, Old friend, Long-lost Cousin (you get the idea here) who enjoys talking about the “Good old days” ~ LISTEN!  And record them!  And encourage them to tell the next story when they are done with the last one.  And then SHARE them with as many people as you can.  It took a casual mention on a Facebook comment for me to even know these tapes existed, much less that they were so easily shared. Gods, I love this digital age.

I would give a lot to have even 5 minutes of my Mother’s voice on tape.  Unfortunately, when I still had her, I was too young and self-centered to realize what a treasure that voice truly was, and how its value would grow in the years to come.  Now I hear it only in my dreams and memories.  And occasionally, my big sister.

So I’m telling you now – take the time to save some of your loved ones’ oral history.  It is amazing how good it feels to hear that beloved voice again.  The equipment needed to make a permanent record is so readily available and inexpensive.  Most phones now have voice recording, if not a video camera.  Try to remember to USE them next time you visit Mom/Dad/Great Aunt Sue.  And try to spread the word to those you love to do the same.  You won’t be sorry.