Reflecting and Remembering
Write Your Life Story for Posterity
By Maureen Santini © Copyright 2017-2025. All Rights Reserved.
Collectively, we observe Memorial Day as a nation. But the most powerful observations are often within our family and our community.
Many communities today are noting the occasion with parades and speeches, reflecting and reinforcing community values.
In military cemeteries, white crosses of fallen veterans mark beautifully manicured lawns in a sweeping scene of tribute. What if one of those crosses was absent? The entire picture changes.
Every cross matters.
Similarly, every voice in your community matters, including yours, even if you don’t know it.
In A Wonderful Life, George Bailey feels like a failure even though he is an integral part of his community.
He represents all of us.
We may not perceive a connection between our family history and our community’s.
But when you talk about or write about your life, you will undoubtedly mention the name of your town or city, the name of the street you lived on, the name of the schools and churches you attended, and a dozen other landmarks you frequented, like restaurants, parks, factories, and pool halls.
On its website, the Society of American Archivists states: “Whether or not members of your family attained a degree of fame … your family history becomes a part of your community’s collective memory.”
This is especially true on Memorial Day.
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Maureen Santini is a writer, PR strategist, and former journalist whose goal is to prevent the accumulated knowledge and life stories of millions from ending up in the graveyard.
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Yes writing our stories is a must, this is the truth ❤️