4 Reasons To Make Legacy Recordings
My mother used to say, “Oh my gosh!” whenever she heard something unusual. It was hilarious — to me and to my six siblings, anyway, who loved to mimic her sweet tone and enthusiastic delivery. The scene was like something out of a bad sitcom whenever two or more of us chanted “Oh, my gosh!” in response to an event or comment Mom would have considered extraordinary, which was almost every event and comment.
Since audio is my schtick, I recorded her with my phone and saved it as a ringtone. For years, whenever Mom called me, my phone proclaimed, “Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh!” I loved it. But she doesn’t call anymore.
Mom died last fall. My father died in 2019. I wish I could hear their voices.
It’s not that I didn’t try to record them. I did. Repeatedly. They refused to cooperate because they were afraid to sound anything short of polished and brilliant. And because they didn’t believe their stories were worth wasting any time on. They were so wrong.
Here’s why you should allow someone to record your stories, or do it yourself:
1. Your stories are valuable to your family people. They will gain a deeper understanding of you, as well as themselves, which could help them understand more about why they are the way they are. Also, hearing stories of trauma might encourage someone in a similar situation to get help. For many people, reflecting on the past gives them insight into the present.
2. It’s fun. Often, children don’t think of their parents as having had an interesting life before they became parents. And grandchildren are usually surprised to hear that old people weren’t always old people doing old-people things. They need your stories to help them create richer, deeper perspectives. Regaling a child with tales of your youthful adventures can be exciting, informative, and entertaining. For both of you.
3. You don’t have to be perfect. While it would be thrilling to deliver a stellar vocal performance, the most important task is to capture and preserve your stories. Before you turn on a recording device, however, you might want to write out what you’re about to tell. Or at least make a few notes. If you know what you want to say you’ll feel more confident. And the editing process will be easier.
4. There’s comfort in leaving a legacy. Linda Spence, author of Legacy: A step-By-Step Guide To Writing Personal History, said it this way: “The time you spend recording your memories and reflections will be transformed into an unforgettable link to your family members and it’s future generations.” And I say: If you record your stories, your voice will be available to your loved ones anytime they need comfort after you’re gone.
Although she refused to let me record her stories, I was able to convince Mom to type out a few memories from her childhood. (At the time, she owned eleven typewriters.) She did so unwillingly, but after I scanned photos from her albums, paired them with her stories, and created a book that highlighted her first eighteen years of life, she was delighted. That book became one of her most treasured possessions, which is notable since she had an overabundance of possessions in the “treasured” category. I like to imagine she’d have been pleased with her recorded stories, as well. If only…
I know I would have loved listening to those stories for the rest of my life. And that I would have saved them in the online legacy archive I’m creating for my daughter, and our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Because I didn’t insist, I don’t have my parents’ stories to listen to, or to save for future generations. But at least I have my ring tone.
