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== Introduction == | == Introduction == | ||
A personal history is one way to leave a legacy that descendants will treasure for generations. As you create your personal history, you should make sure the information is accurate. If you leave someone else to rely on memories and secondhand stories to create your history, it may not reflect your life accurately. Resources and information in this lesson include: | A personal history is one way to leave a legacy that descendants will treasure for generations. As you create your personal history, you should make sure the information is accurate. If you leave someone else to rely on memories and secondhand stories to create your history, it may not reflect your life accurately. Resources and information in this lesson include: | ||
== Why Create a Personal History? == | == Why Create a Personal History? == | ||
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You could have a great effect on those who follow you. Your example, your trials, and your triumphs will strengthen and motivate others. The prophet Job of the Old Testament, who suffered many trials, mourned, “oh that my word were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!” (Job 19:23–24). His words were written, and his triumph over tragedy and his faith have remained an example of devotion to people of the world for thousands of years. | You could have a great effect on those who follow you. Your example, your trials, and your triumphs will strengthen and motivate others. The prophet Job of the Old Testament, who suffered many trials, mourned, “oh that my word were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!” (Job 19:23–24). His words were written, and his triumph over tragedy and his faith have remained an example of devotion to people of the world for thousands of years. | ||
Writing your history now can also provide you with an opportunity to evaluate your life. It may help you clarify your direction in life. Even if your childhood wasn’t idyllic, writing about it can help you cope with your feelings and possibly find understanding and forgiveness. See also ''[https://www.familysearch.org/learningcenter/results.html?fq=place%3A%22United+States%22&resultListItem=2 Ancestors Season 2: Writing a Family History]'' in the FamilySearch Learning Center. | Writing your history now can also provide you with an opportunity to evaluate your life. It may help you clarify your direction in life. Even if your childhood wasn’t idyllic, writing about it can help you cope with your feelings and possibly find understanding and forgiveness. See also ''[https://www.familysearch.org/learningcenter/results.html?fq=place%3A%22United+States%22&resultListItem=2 Ancestors Season 2: Writing a Family History]'' in the FamilySearch Learning Center. Many of the same reasons apply. | ||
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== When Should I Create My Personal History? == | == When Should I Create My Personal History? == | ||
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You can preserve your life history and memories in many ways. The following are a few ideas: A Written History For those who enjoy writing, a written biography is a great way to record your history. | You can preserve your life history and memories in many ways. The following are a few ideas: A Written History For those who enjoy writing, a written biography is a great way to record your history. | ||
==== A written biography could include the following:==== | ==== A written biography could include the following: ==== | ||
*[[http://www.cyndislist.com/writing.htm cyndislist.com/writing.htm] Your personal account of events in your life]. | *[[http://www.cyndislist.com/writing.htm cyndislist.com/writing.htm] Your personal account of events in your life]. | ||
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*Copies of family records, such as your birth and marriage certificates, school records, diplomas, religious certificates, awards, and other records of interest. | *Copies of family records, such as your birth and marriage certificates, school records, diplomas, religious certificates, awards, and other records of interest. | ||
==== '''[[Creating a Personal Journal|Journals]]''' ==== | ==== '''[[Creating a Personal Journal|Journals]]''' ==== | ||
<br> Journals are an excellent way of preserving history. Where a personal history tends to be broader in scope and generally covers a greater period of time, a journal can preserve the day-to-day or week-to-week events of your life. It provides a more intimate and detailed account of your daily experiences. Even though journal writing often covers many years of one’s life, it is easier for some people to accomplish because it consists of a small amount of time each day or week or rather than a large amount of time all at once. A journal will often cover more than just day-to-day activities in your life. It often contains insights, expressions of emotion, observations about events of the day and how they affect you and your family, musings, and so on. Many people also include drawings or photographs of people, places, and events in their journal, which can add an interesting dimension. | <br> Journals are an excellent way of preserving history. Where a personal history tends to be broader in scope and generally covers a greater period of time, a journal can preserve the day-to-day or week-to-week events of your life. It provides a more intimate and detailed account of your daily experiences. Even though journal writing often covers many years of one’s life, it is easier for some people to accomplish because it consists of a small amount of time each day or week or rather than a large amount of time all at once. A journal will often cover more than just day-to-day activities in your life. It often contains insights, expressions of emotion, observations about events of the day and how they affect you and your family, musings, and so on. Many people also include drawings or photographs of people, places, and events in their journal, which can add an interesting dimension. | ||
==== '''Record of Milestones'''==== | ==== '''Record of Milestones''' ==== | ||
==== '''Electronic Recordings'''==== | <br> Creating a record of milestones is like writing in a journal, except it tends to be less frequent. It’s a record of important events such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, deaths, life-changing experiences, and major accomplishments and includes a person’s feelings regarding the milestones. Some people use scrapbooks to chronicle their important milestones. | ||
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With the development of electronic devices, such as video equipment and tape recorders, recording history is easier than ever. Using electronic equipment to record your history, you can include much more than is typically found in a written history. An electronic record of your history could include the sound of your voice, the singing of songs, the playing of a musical instrument, or visual images. | ==== '''Electronic Recordings''' ==== | ||
<br> With the development of electronic devices, such as video equipment and tape recorders, recording history is easier than ever. Using electronic equipment to record your history, you can include much more than is typically found in a written history. An electronic record of your history could include the sound of your voice, the singing of songs, the playing of a musical instrument, or visual images. | |||
If you use electronic equipment to record your history, understand that the medium you are using will deteriorate or become outdated. Tapes should be played once a year to prevent the sound from bleeding through the tape. | If you use electronic equipment to record your history, understand that the medium you are using will deteriorate or become outdated. Tapes should be played once a year to prevent the sound from bleeding through the tape. | ||
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==== '''[[Creating Oral Histories|Oral Histories]]''' ==== | ==== '''[[Creating Oral Histories|Oral Histories]]''' ==== | ||
<br> Oral histories are an excellent way to record a personal history. An oral history preserves the voice of a person. It is a great alternative for those who don’t feel they have the skills or the desire to write. Those who struggle with writing might find it easy to sit down and talk about their lives. Some people love to talk and find that an oral history is an easy way to preserve personal history. For many people, having someone record stories from their life is a fun and deeply touching experience. | |||
==== '''Online Photo Books''' ==== | |||
<br> | <br> With the availability of Internet, it is now possible to create a fine quality [[A Guide to Printing Your Family History|history in book format online]] and have it delivered to your door step. You can add as many photographs and as much text as you want. The company then prints out as many books as you want and sends them to you. You can then distribute the finished product to friends and family members. | ||
==== ''' | ==== '''Scrapbooking''' ==== | ||
<br> Scrapbooking has become a popular form of preserving memories and can be a great alternative or addition to a written personal history. It focuses on documenting special events through the use of photographs and other memorabilia. Scrapbooks tend not to be as comprehensive as a written personal history, but they provide an excellent visual history. Scrapbook supplies and classes on scrapbooking are often readily available. | |||
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Scrapbooking has become a popular form of preserving memories and can be a great alternative or addition to a written personal history. It focuses on documenting special events through the use of photographs and other memorabilia. Scrapbooks tend not to be as comprehensive as a written personal history, but they provide an excellent visual history. Scrapbook supplies and classes on scrapbooking are often readily available. | |||
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==== '''Brief personal narratives, life highlights, or memoirs ''' ==== | ==== '''Brief personal narratives, life highlights, or memoirs ''' ==== | ||
<br> Narratives are another form of personal history. These narratives document memorable events. The narratives are usually brief and often take only a few minutes to write. Many people find it helpful to set aside a set time each week to write a narrative. For example, one woman spends an hour writing each Sunday afternoon while her young children take a nap. During each session she writes two or three short narratives. These narratives can later be polished and compiled into a longer history. | |||
Appendix A of this lesson gives a list of subjects for personal narratives. You do not need to limit yourself to these topics. They may remind you of other events that you might want to write about as well. | |||
== Before You Begin Writing == | == Before You Begin Writing == | ||
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'''Web sites '''for photo and document preservation information and supplies | '''Web sites '''for photo and document preservation information and supplies | ||
*[http://people.maine.com/photos people.maine.com] | *[http://people.maine.com/photos people.maine.com] | ||
*[http://www.nedcc.org nedcc.org] | *[http://www.nedcc.org nedcc.org] | ||
*[http://www.loc.gov/preserv loc.gov/preserv] | *[http://www.loc.gov/preserv loc.gov/preserv] | ||
*[http://www.cyndislist.com/photo.htm cyndislist.com] | *[http://www.cyndislist.com/photo.htm cyndislist.com] | ||
*[http://www.lib.virginia.edu/preservation/photostore.html lib.virginia.edu/preservation] | *[http://www.lib.virginia.edu/preservation/photostore.html lib.virginia.edu/preservation] | ||
==== '''Books''' on photo and documents preservation ==== | ==== '''Books''' on photo and documents preservation ==== | ||
*''[https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/1052976 Organizing and Preserving Your Heirloom Documents] ''by Katherine Scott Sturdevant | *''[https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/1052976 Organizing and Preserving Your Heirloom Documents] ''by Katherine Scott Sturdevant | ||
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=== Websites === | |||
*[http://www.cyndislist.com/writing.htm cyndislist.com/writing.htm] (Links to various sites with helps for writing personal histories.) | |||
*[http://www.genwriters.com Gen Writers.com] (Helps for writing personal histories.) | |||
*[http://www.writingthejourney.com Writing the Journey.com] (Techniques for writing personal history with focus on style.) | |||
*[http://www.ohanasoftware.com Ohana Software.com] (Tutorial for writing your personal history.) | |||
*[http://www.personalhistoryhelp.com Personal History Help.com] (10-step program to writing a personal history.) | |||
[[Category:Personal_History]] | [[Category:Personal_History]] | ||