January 18, 2022
Written By: Kennon Grose
Your legacy is more than a financial inheritance. It is memories and values more powerfully conveyed by telling personal stories rather than through legal documents. Stories are one of the most powerful means to influence, teach, and inspire.
For starters, storytelling forges connections among family and friends, between memories and values. Stories unite. When it comes to our families, we understand intuitively that the stories we hold in common are important parts of the ties that bind us.
Stories do more than create a sense of connection. They build familiarity and trust and allow the listener to enter the story where he is, making him open to hearing.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the implementation of unprecedented “social distancing”. We all have experiences of how social isolation and loneliness have negatively impacted our family and friends. Our older family members have been most vulnerable. The stories not grabbing headline attention are the ones impacting the majority of our family members. A new study by the Harvard Graduate School of Education suggests 36 percent of all Americans – including 61 percent of young adults and 51 percent of mothers with young children – feel “serious loneliness.”
A couple of weeks ago, our family and extended family were fortunate to celebrate Christmas in a single place with room for all. There was a big fire pit out back, board games, a pool table, and a large table where we gathered for meals. There were plenty of things to do for young and old. Nobody said they were bored based on a lack of access to technology. It was about doing things together, sharing stories, laughter, joy, and creating new memories. It was also about forgiveness, healing, understanding and, realizing that differences of beliefs and opinions don’t even matter in the grand scheme of things.
One of our family members said, “This was the best Christmas I have ever had.” A week later she suddenly passed away, reminding us all that life is too short. This sad and shocking loss of life made the time spent together that much more valuable.
Your story is the greatest legacy you will leave your family and friends. It’s the longest-lasting legacy you will leave your heirs.
Curiously, we can even feel nostalgia for stories that have nothing to do with us. Good stories transcend the confines of geography, culture, time, and even language. Stories give you the power to recall an image, a sound, or a touch from your mind. You can bring memories to life. The more times you do so, the more permanence you give a story. It’s the closest thing we humans have to stopping time – make lots of them!
Sharing your story is a way to give forward to your family and those you care about. I encourage you to spend time with your family and share your story. I assure you they are interested. These are the best gifts – the ones money cannot buy!
I am captivated by the legacy of stories – those stories behind the memories created with time, participation, and passion. Please let us know what you think of our short story, “Capturing a Legacy: Rick Elliott” You can find it here on YouTube.
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