If you died today, what would you leave behind? For most of us, the first thing we think about is the material items that would remain. But perhaps the most important thing you could leave is the story of your life – your Legacy Letter. Wisdom is hard won and if you’ve lived very long, you’ve learned many lessons that have made your life better. What’s more remarkable is that remembering, talking and writing about those experiences can make you healthier and happier.

Numerous studies have been conducted over the past 30 years on how reminiscence therapy alleviates depression, promotes understanding and encourages socialization. Remembering is a brain exercise that nearly everyone can participate in. Even dementia patients can benefit from remembering their past. It gives them a sense of self-awareness and they seem to be more comfortable talking about their youth because it is something they remember easily.

Everyone needs to laugh and remembering good times past usually include a good laugh. Recently, a Sacramento Area retirement home began holding Reminiscence Therapy for the memory care unit. About 20 residents talked about their first pets, where they had lived growing up and who they went with on their first date. One elderly woman said she had lived across from a cemetery as a youngster. “I used to go and stand with all the mourners,” she said. “I thought they needed cheering up.”

Passing on the stories and the wisdom you’ve gained during your life is truly a gift to the future. Writing your life story can be a way for future generations to know who you were and the experiences you gained while living. It is also a way to bring meaningful dialog into your life and into the lives of your family members.

There are a number of ways to record your life history. You may choose to write your stories out by hand or on a computer. You may choose to record your stories on a tape recorder or video camcorder. These last two methods are effective if you have a sight deficit. The method is less important than the final product which is passing on the important events and lessons you have learned. Family stories are forever cherished.

It’s best not to become overwhelmed by thinking about recording everything that has happened to you in your life. Start small by keeping a note pad handy for jotting down ideas by your easy chair or where you have your morning coffee. Don’t feel compelled to tell the whole story on your note pad but just the main ideas about a particular event. Some people decide to start at the beginning with their birth, but it’s not necessary to do that. If you have trouble deciding on what to write about first, ask a family member what they would like to know about your life.

Great topics for life stories – What are you passionate about? This is a great place to begin. Where did you meet your spouse and what were the details of the proposal? What was the worst trouble you got into as a child? I know, you might not want to “tell” everything, but these stories can be fun and make you more “human” to your family members and friends. Who was the most important person in your life? Was there a turning point in your life? These stories can help others to understand you on a deeper level. What was your first paying job? Where did you go on your first date? What was the most important thing that your parents taught you? These are just a few ideas to get you started. There are many websites that have more ideas for you to consider. Story Corps is a national organization that records life stories on tape by Americans across the country. The website is loaded with ideas for you to read about and try.

If you have a beloved elder in your life, you might consider “interviewing” them and writing about their recollections. I often wrote down stories that my grandmother’s told me during a phone conversation. I cherish each one. Now I try to illicit stories from my parents. Last week, my father told me about all the chores he and his brother were responsible for. Now I know that doesn’t sound very dramatic, but I found it very interesting to know that my father had to chop cotton and grind home-grown feed for the cows.

Pass on some memories today and start writing down those stories. You will promote understanding and spread your wisdom down to the future. Consider how differently we might have felt about Abraham Lincoln if he had never told us about his childhood?

There are several life history classes available to join in the Sacramento Area. Many of them are held in local Senior Centers and Adult Educational Centers.

Karen Everett Watson is a freelance journalist and business owner of Legacy Letters. She has a BA in journalism and is also a certified gerontologist. She holds Life Story seminars in local retirement communities and continues to write about her own life adventures from her home in Galt. You can contact her at Watson@softcom.net and at her website www.legacywriter.me