Reason To Write Your Mom's Memoir

Reasons To Write Your
 Memoir By Jackie Devine, CLP

12 April | May 2020 M other’s Day is quickly approaching. If you are looking for something meaningful to give her this year, how about helping her create a memoir? It’s a gift that many generations to come can share. Your mother’s life experiences shaped her personality, influenced the choices she made and those of future generations. Do you know the highwater marks of her life? Do you, and your siblings, know the details of those pivotal moments that changed the trajectory of her life? The time to act is now. Preserve those memories while your mom is still capable of retelling her stories. If you do, you will have a legacy that far surpasses all other inheritances. Moreover, you will be helping pass along to your children a depth of understanding about family history that will strengthen relationships and m aintain family culture. Plus, you will touch the lives of extended families you will never meet if you upload her story on Ancestry.com or www.familysearch.org (a free family tree-maker website). If you are overwhelmed with the idea of writing a memoir, visit Legacy Stories at legacystories.org You can upload 10 audio recordings, with 100 MB of media storage, and space for 100 Legacy Photos for free. If yo u visit the site and are interested in recording your family history but feel you need help, I will be available to help you initiate the process. Remember: Every person has an interesting story to share. Yet, most will never record stories or share the world the

experience they obtained. If you doubt whether you should encourage your mom to write a book about her personal experiences, here are sever al reasons to write her memoir: Jackie Devine and her daughters, Meredith Owen (left), and Stacey Hendricks, (right).

1. BECAUSE HER STORY MIGHT HELP SOMEONE We often feel very alone when we face obstacles in life. We forget that somewhere there is someone else going through a similar circumstance who can relate. Memoirs can be about any life experience. A few include having an illness, going through a bad relationship, or surviving abuse, or even going on a journey to discover yourself. All these things someone else can relate to. And believe i t or not – her story, her experience can shed some hope to anyone who reads it. Your mom can be an inspiration to others to overcome their struggles through life. 2. HER MEMORIES WON'T BE FORGOTTEN Life is busy, sometimes chaotic. It can be easy to forget the memories of the past. While some believe it is better to forget and move on, having a record of something that h appened in your mom’s life can be invaluable. It can pave the way for healing through writing, or it can help her recall events that may have otherwise faded away... 3. YOU WILL HAVE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR MOM AND YOURSELF There is probably no better form of selftherapy than to sit down and try writing a memoir, especially about events that may have been traumatic or life altering. As your mom writes her story, she will likely experience many different feelings that will may surface. T his may become a time of greater understanding and lead to peace. 4. A MEMOIR REMINDS YOU OF THE GOOD THINGS IN LIFE Many memoirs are about a struggle or a disappointment or overcoming an obstacle. But somewhere in that story, there are good times. Your mom can also write about them and relive those glorious moments right along with the bad. And

when you've finished writing your memoir, you will start to notice many reasons why your life is worth living and celebrating. If you are interested in leaving a family legacy, and can’t decide where to begin, I am available to help you puzzle through the issues. As an author, editor, public speaker, and travel coordinator for senior citizens, I would consider it a privilege to help you write your family history and assist you in leaving a legacy to future generations that only you can g ive. Whether you are a family patriarch, returning veteran, hospice resident, a terminally ill child, grieving family member, or part of an upcoming reunion planning committee, you have a specific need: I will help you tell your story the way you want it told! No matter the type, extent, or duration of assistance yo u desire, I am available to help you with: • Oral history slideshows • Memoir/short story videos • Memorial videos • Autobiographies/family histories • Coffee table photo books • Photo scanning and digital conversion. For information or guidance: 832.316.6006, jackie.devine@comcast.net jackiedevine.com

About Jackie Devine Before entering the field of education, Jackie Devine spent 25 years in the private sector, pr omoting individuals, communities, and corporations. Charged with crafting Houston, Texas' first marketing plan in 1990, she produced promotional pieces that circled the globe and translated into Spanish, Japanese, and Mandarin. In 1999, Devine served as Interim Editor of AAA's Journey Magazine (both Texas and New Mexico). From 2015 through 2018, she designed and edited the nationally published Br anson Family Newsletter. Jackie has r eleased two memoirs and a pre-teen historical novel: Mamie, Remnants of a Life Well Lived, My Story, A Memoir by John Devine, and Quilt Girl. She has produced 15 minimemoir and funeral tribute videos.

When we lose an elder, it is as if a library has burned. My focus is saving as many stories as possible before we lose our elders. My saying is 'I am digging up bones a nd s aving lives.'" - Jackie Devine