Today we live in an impersonal age. New technology has propelled us ever forward, moving from the agricultural age through the industrial age and into the age of information technology. We now have instant communication and information at our fingertips. With this reliance on ever-changing technological advances, we are losing the opportunity to relate to one another face-to-face. Shopping, banking, postal services, etc. are often conducted over the Internet. It is efficient yet impersonal. Seldom do we meet a clerk or bank teller in person but rather connect with them via cyberspace.
Possibly as a backlash from this increasingly impersonal life, more and more people are sitting down to write their memoirs. They understand the absolute necessity of writing down their life story—to prove they existed, that their life mattered, and so that future generations may understand who they were, how they lived, and how they became the parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, or sibling they became. We make sense of our own lives while leaving our life legacy for posterity.
As each generation moves into adulthood, the past assumes greater significance. Our accumulated life experiences often take us on an unexpected journey in search of answers that may have been ignored for too long. We start compiling our family history. In this age of instant technology, looking backwards can be a giant step forward. Clarity emerges from reflection. We live our lives in the moment, but each step resonates with the learning we have brought with us. The wisdom we gain is a gift that we can share with those who come after us. We can now pass down our life stories to family, friends, and institutions.
Cheryl and Richard have created a compelling work that makes this journey a worthy one. Writing Your Legacy is a milestone guide that will stand the test of time. It takes that enormous block of a person’s lifetime and breaks it into manageable chunks that can be written in two- to three-page segments. In Guided Autobiography these are called life themes. Cheryl and Richard have taken this concept to a new level by identifying several core legacy themes and adding others that prime our memories and bring meaning to the world we live in. Their book explores new territory worth discovering.
In Part One, the basics of life story writing are examined. Cheryl and Richard set out to understand why we are compelled to tell our stories and how we learn to see ourselves as heroes, and demonstrate how to make our life stories into living legacies. Part Two is all about the legacy themes. From Forks in the Road and Life Goals to Life Values and Cultural Heritage, these legacy themes give substance to the stories. Part Three discusses titling your book, how to enhance your story with images or video, and deciding on a final format.
Writing Your Legacy is a book to be read and used. Readers can expect a compelling life story narrative that closes the gap between wanting to write down their story and actually doing so. This book helps individuals write their life stories and offers themes that help organize those experiences. The themes prime many memories of the past that can be woven into the story of one’s life. This book will help many people who wanted to write their life story but have postponed doing so. It breaks new ground.
JAMES E. BIRREN is the co-author of Guiding Autobiography Groups for Older Adults, Where to Go from Here: Discovering Your Own Life’s Wisdom in the Second Half of Your Life, and Telling the Stories of Life Through Guided Autobiography Groups. Dr. Birren received the Distinguished Career Contribution Award from the Gerontological Society of America in 2002, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the American Society on Aging in 2004. In 2013 the Fielding Graduate University presented The Creative Longevity and Wisdom Lifetime Award to Dr. Birren at a plenary session of the International Conference on Positive Aging in Los Angeles. Jim Birren is an icon in the field of aging.