Why am I writing my memoir?

I have to confess that I feel a bit awkward telling anyone that I'm working on my memoir. There's a little voice inside of my head that whispers "You're no one important. Why do you need to write a memoir?"
It's true that I am just an ordinary woman who has lived a relatively ordinary life, yet I think about the women who I come from who also lived relatively ordinary lives, and how fascinated I am by their stories.
When we emptied out my Grandma's house before everything was sold, I found this little diary that had belonged to my Aunt Edie, who was also just ordinary woman. I loved her dearly and I am fascinated by this little diary and the window it gives me into her life.
There is no one left alive who has known me for my entire life. There are stories from the past that no one knows except me, and there are tales that I have learned about my birth family. If I don't tell them, they will be lost forever, and so I write for my children, my grandchildren, and my great-grandchildren.
I have come to belive that anyone with even a glimmer of desire to write a memoir should pursue that goal. Do it for those who are yet to come! What a wonderful opportunity to teach and influence future generations!
Sixty years go when my Aunt was a young girl and wrote "Went to the show with Laura and Ed. Road to Rio, Bob H, Bing C, Dorothy L. Then we went to Menard's. I slept there" she never dreamed that someone who wasn't yet born would read those words. She could not have imagined that someone not yet born would treasure the opportunity to step back in time.
That is why I am writing my memoir.

10 comments:

Kathleen said...

It's such worthy undertaking. I have all my parent's pics, scrapbooks, cards, etc., that date back to their youth. Often they've come near throught these, though they've beeen gone many years now.

You are wise to leave a legacy of this sort for your children & grandchildren. It may be the very instrument God uses to one day draw them nearer to you ... and Him!

Be blessed,
Kathleen

Hill Country Hippie said...

That's why Susan Albert founded the Story Circle Network - she said EVERY woman has a story to tell!

Linda Hoye said...

Sassy - Isn't that a wonderful thought, that God would use something like a memoir to draw our future decendents to Him!

Hill - Susan Albert is a wise woman!

Justabeachkat said...

Hi Linda

Thanks for your sweet comment today. Your post today makes me think about writing my memoir, even though I'm just an ordinary girl too. That's actually why I write my blog too...just to document my days. I feel so blessed to be living my ordinary life. Good for you for doing it.

Happy Easter Hugs!
Kat

Karen said...

Good for you for putting it down on paper. You never know how it will touch someone's life. My mother passed away when my kids were very young. I was so grateful for the journal she kept when my brothers and I were teenagers. It gives me a bit of insight into advice she might be able to give me now that my own kids are in their teens. She didn't write a lot, but every word is a treasure.

Beverlydru said...

YES! Thank you for crystallizing this in words. I have started... and it makes my heart glad. My oldest daughter seems to be encouraging more than anyone else to keep writing. Thanks for your encouragement.

Kathryn Magendie said...

I wish some of my family had written their memoirs and I had them with me - esp my bio family in WVA that I don't know -- like, my great great gradmother who was a Blackfoot indian - who was she? what was her life like married to a white man?

And my grandfather on my father's side that I never knew, never even met....

so many stories I do not know and wish I did!


Thanks why I make them up....

Write away!

Pat's Place said...

Oh my gosh! Your memoir is so important for MANY reasons! First, it is important for your family, for your friends, for people you will inspire that you don't even know, and it is important to preserve bits of history that future generations would not know about unless you wrote about it. WAY TO GO!!

Anonymous said...

That is awesome. Linda!! You'll do great!

Happy belated Easter.

Got that ipod for my anniversary and it's not that hard. If I hadn't read your post I wouldn't have. I love it!!!
hugs

Terri Tiffany said...

I love that you are doing it. And someday that precious grandchild of yours will be so thankful you did along with more to follow. I hope someday to do that too!