Everyone has an interesting story to tell, but most of us don't realize it. Many years ago Oprah did a series of programs about the lives of ordinary people. It was touching to see and hear about the lives of people who were not famous or remarkable; yet they were without fail interesting.

I have been fascinated by life stories for many years. Recently my interest has increased. As is often the case a number of things have happened to draw my attention to the importance of our stories.

 As we have been preparing for our new course called Creative Aging: Embracing the Second Half of Life we have had many discussions about the importance of life review and passing on life stories. Initially I thought of the stories simply as a way to pass on information to future generations. However, I have come to appreciate the importance of personal  stories as a way to see and appreciate myself and a way to understand and appreciate my values.

I am currently reading The Book of Mary by Gail Sidonie Sobat. It is an irreverent  story about The Mary. It is constructed as Mary's diary written on scrolls from the time of her early adolescence. The mature Mary begins to see the importance of her life story as she see her mother aging. As she thinks about telling her story she comes to the conclusion that although at first it seems silly or vain, ultimately it is an important story to tell.

Last summer I listened to a CBC Radio documentary series entitled "The Late Show" hosted by Gordon Pinsent. "The Late Show" was an interesting form of obituary because each person featured in the program had passed away. The subjects were a remarkable range of characters from across Canada whose lives were compelling, provocative and uplifting.

I have had many conversations with my friend Debbie Caseberg Tyson about the importance of personal stories. Debbie is particularly interested in the stories of immigrants. As the daughter of immigrants she is keenly aware of not only the benefits of coming to a wonderful country like Canada, but the costs as well. She recently shared a novel about just that called Barnacle Love by Anthony De Sa. It is a sad tale of Portuguese immigrants who settle in Canada and struggle to make their way. It illustrates the challenges of integrating into a new culture regardless of the desire and willingness to accommodate.

Both our conversations and the book made me think about my own immigrant experience Of course I came speaking the language, well-educated and readily employable. My family has prospered here; yet there were costs. I see another chapter in my own personal story.

For several years I have been talking about writing down stories from my life to pass on to my grandchildren. There are certainly many stories to tell. Although I often think about doing it, until now I have not made this a priority in my life.

One of the potential benefits of moving into the second half of life is to recognize the importance of telling our life stories. I have made a commitment to do just that. I will write them for my children and grandchildren, but I may share some with you too. Stay tuned.

© C O P Y R I G H T   2 0 1 0.  Mary Sullivan Holdgrafer ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.