Sometimes we only know a few details of someone’s life. We think “I’m going to dig into that box.” or “Next time I’m with Mom, I’m going to ask her about those photos!” but, life gets busy and we forget or it just doesn’t happen. I know. I get it. In the meantime, there are (always) small stories that we can tell—details that can be recorded. Even little snippets of story recorded are better than nothing. That’s the spirit behind a BIG jar that sits on a shelf in our living room. I call it, Mama’s Jar of TOY stories.

This morning as we were shuffling stuff around, putting up Christmas, I asked Addie, “Do you know why these toys are in this jar?”
She said, “Each one has a page in that little book, right?” She was pointing to my little red Story Starter album with photos of each toy.

“Yes,” I said. Pick one and we’ll read the story. Then Addie chose the little violin.

We pulled it out of the jar and paused just long enough to read this small story from the life of Geoff’s grandfather, Russell Julian. Now, as I type this, there is a father and his daughter sitting on the couch talking about the violin—my husband, who has memories of his grandfather playing the violin—is showing Addie how to hold one that his grandfather kept for students to use.

✨Boom✨ Memory in the making.

And, guess what?
It really is this easy.

❤️ 🖥 I was so tickled two days ago to receive the following email. I share it now with Jane’s permission.

This is what I want you to know: You have time (before Christmas) to create a gift or two that will keep on giving. A gift of your memories turned into stories—small stories. A gift that someone will actually remember one year from now!

AND, if you want me to help you document, preserve and celebrate personal stories next year, come take my 20in20 class. I will HELP YOU craft 20 personal stories in traditional and non-traditional ways.