#52Stories
FamilySearch has an initiative where you are encouraged to write one story every week for a year, thus completing 52 stories.
To add some fun to the process, FamilySearch has printables (my favorites are the Weekly Questions). You can also access the complete list of 52 questions here though that can sometimes be intimidating!
Many people believe that it takes a lot of time and work to write their life story and feel that the task is just too big. Because of that, they never start. But sharing memories of your life does not have to be a big, involved effort. Imagine how much easier the task of writing about your life might be if you were to focus on writing about just one topic each week. It doesn’t matter if you write a few paragraphs, a single page, or several pages. The important thing is that you write something. Anything is better than nothing at all.
I can see this as a fun project to engage family members in also. Maybe send out a weekly email or post to your family on FB. Odds are that everyone can take a few minutes to answer “one” question with a sentence or two or more (not expected and always appreciated!) and you can then compile them and create a fun and incredibly personal family gift.
As mentioned above, getting started is key. It’s amazing all the things that we spend time doing each week, and yet often balk at spending a few minutes to leave a lasting legacy. I am as guilty of this as the next person. The closest I get is to still maintain a paper calendar where I jot notes of what I do, observations, and more and serve as family photographer. And, that’s still just a skeleton of my life and not nearly so thought-provoking and intimate as the answers to any of the questions which are part of #52Stories!
Wouldn't this be a fun event to do with a youth group? At a family reunion or while celebrating a holiday or when on vacation?
What's your excuse for not getting started this week?
What question is your favorite (either in terms of a response you would give or in terms of the answer you would love to receive from a family member)?
What questions might you add?
Which family member has surprised you the most with their answers?
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