The shocking truth
Did you know this- that it only takes three generations to lose a piece of oral family history? And what does that mean exactly? It means that the stories of the sacrifices, triumphs, and heartbreaks that happen(ed) in our families will be lost forever within three generations. Each story is a piece. To break it down even further, it means your grandchildren will know very little about your parents and little to nothing about your grandparents. Unless actions to avoid this problem are taken, the result is significant family history loss.
Can this be proven??
Hard to believe? I recommend asking yourself these questions:
Do you know details about your parents’ lives? Most likely, yes, right?
How about your grandparents? Yes? (Hopefully!)
Do you know some details about your great-grandparents? Probably some things, at least?
Now, what about your great-great-grandparents? How much do you know about them? I don’t mean where they lived or what they did for a living- things you can learn from a census record. I am talking about their stories, hardships, talents, passions, and feelings. How well do you know those things?
How much does your knowledge drop off between those two generations? Is it significant???
I feel the pains of irreparable family history loss. Do you? Or…are you the exception?
You see, SOME FAMILIES DON’T HAVE THE SAME LOSS OF FAMILY HISTORY that others do! Maybe yours is one of those- the LUCKY ONES!!! And what is it that makes the difference?
The answer is pretty simple, and it ALWAYS comes down to the same thing- WRITTEN HISTORY. 📜
Someone wrote down those stories, memories, and details of your ancestors’ lives. Right? And because of the written memories, the oral history can continue to live on for many generations.
Preventative Action You Can Take Against Family History Loss
The lesson here is- We HAVE TO WRITE DOWN OUR FAMILY STORIES! 📝
You have three generations of stories in you. Our elders have three generations of stories inside of them- many of which you do not have. Can you help capture it? What if there aren’t older generations to ask? That’s okay.
Start with what you know. Your memories alone can preserve three generations of family history.
You don’t have to know everything for the memories to matter. Gather what you can, whether it is one tiny detail or many. They all make a difference.
Now, how many generations can you gather? Have you found any successful ways to preserve your family history? Please share in the comments!
Melissa Knapp
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My grandparent’s stories are my favorite. This reminds me that I need to collect more of them. Thanks for the inspiration. Allyson
Good Points!
Regards for the post,
Faith
Interesting. I need to get started, I guess! I’m going to share this with some family members in hopes that we can all get on board and make some improvements as a family.
These are, in fact, some impressive thoughts in regards to family history and preservation. You have touched on some important factors here. Anyway keep up the writing. Stephan
I am wondering how to deal with the older generation who don’t want to talk about the past…
Some truly choice content on this site! Saving it to my bookmarks! Thank you! Dori
Enjoyed every bit of your article. Really looking forward to read more. Sincerely, Don Davis
I was extremely pleased to discover your web site. I like your articles a lot.
-Melina
Wow, I guess that’s true when you think about it!
Excellent article! Keep up the good writing. Katharyn
I really appreciate your unique and fresh articles!
Wow! Talk about feeling inspired now! Thanks!
I cannot thank you enough for the blog post. This has been on the forefront of my mind and one more reminder. Thank you!
Particularly educational, looking forward to returning.
Really appreciate you sharing this blog and information. Thanks Again!