As I’ve gotten older, the urgency has grown to collect my parent’s stories as a legacy for my own children. Yet while my thoughts have been drawn to history, it’s become obvious that my parents thoughts, goals and desires are most focused on their futures, on being alive and the years of life yet to come. Their concerns are about happiness and health, of living enriched lives, full of love, hope, community and family. Legacy may not be irrelevant, but it’s not a priority.
In becoming a parent, I’ve found myself regularly reminded of the circle of life. When I look at my girls, I am so conscious of their futures, yet to be carved in stone. I look at my parents and remember they were also once children, with a future waiting to be created, who grew into adults with hopes and dreams for their own children, for me, their first born. And when I look back at photos of my own childhood, I am reminded, yet again, of the circle of life.
Sometimes I regret the paths I’ve walked on and those I avoided, or let pass me by. Yet I remind myself that every experience in my collective personal history has made me who I am. They are part of my legacy which I hope has adequately prepared me to guide my girls into their futures.
However, like my parents, my story isn’t over either. I may have seen several decades already, yet I often need to remind myself that it’s never too late to keep shaping my future, my legacy. It’s never too late for anyone.
“A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.” – John Barrymore
“We cannot start over. But we can begin now and make a new ending.” – Zig Ziglar
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – C. S. Lewis
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Linking with With Some Grace for FlogYoBlogFriday (FYBF).
Mixed Gems 
Hi Veronica, my husbands nana is about to turn 89 this week. So my husband and I have started interviewing her about her life story. We have her over for a meal and then we ask her nosy questions to get all the dirt on her life. It took us 3 nights to get to the 1970’s. We tape it on the iPad (as you do) and send it to her daughters for collaboration & confirmation. (the story sometimes changes depending upon memory) We are all too aware of the generation gap.
Great post, a good reminder of why we should encourage our elders to talk and tell there stories. Unfortunately for my family, both mine and my hubby’s Grandparents have passed. We never got the change to hear all of there stories. So now we hassle our parents for as much information as possible so our children get the change to hear all there stories.
What a lovely and thoughtful post Veronica. My grandmother is 95 and I would love to capture some of her memories to share with the kids – I think it will be time for another visit to her soon!
Gorgeous post Veronica. I was always conscious of getting down lots of memories from my Nanna, which after spending so much time with her I managed to do, but always once they are gone you wish you had more. But I love the idea of them still creating memories no matter how old they are or how long they have lived. Xx
I’m planning to do a video of my parents – interviewing them about their past. The thing is, my parents are such subjective creatures, I know it’ll mostly be stories full of emotion and not much historical content. Oh well. Stories are stories.
And yes, it’s never too late to reshape your future.
There is still plenty ahead for you to experience and achieve x
Love this post Veronica. It’s great that you’re aware of saving these memories now. I’ve typed up my grandfather’s memoirs which he handwrote over a period of 10 or so years, ready to print and give him for his 90th birthday earlier this year, but the sad part for me is that, looking back, he could only really recall the landmark facts and events, despite being sharp as a tack and very astute in memory. The emotions and the important people and interactions were missing, and the whole thing (if I can say this!?) seemed a bit… cold. I love the idea that you’d record life events along the way, while you’re feeling it.
This post is a beautiful legacy to your children.
I understand what you’re saying as I think it’s natural to have more a perspective on the circle of life once we’re older. Yes, you still have time to shape your legacy. I think we also understand more the reasons behind our parents’ actions when we were growing up. While as teens we may have thought they were just bugging us, they were just concerned and trying to do and say what was best for us.