A memoir instructor encourages people to write down their life’s stories, before they are lost to time.

Pam Marino here, feeling sorry that I did not ask my mom more questions while she was still here with us. Which family member made that quilt for the family and what do you remember about them? What was day-to-day life like living on an Army post when you were a child?

My mom passed away over two-and-a-half years ago, and I often find myself coming across an item of hers, or I’ll have my own vague memory of something that happened or I was told about decades ago that I have no way of remembering. That information is now gone, and it’s frustrating.

That frustration is why I found this week’s Face to Face by Agata Popęda so interesting. She interviewed memoir instructor Ellia Thompson of Carmel, a sort of “memoir midwife” who helps people write down their memories and life experiences.

“Even if you don’t have it in you to write a memoir, I encourage people to write even a one-page essay and make it a holiday gift to your family,” Thompson said. What a wonderful idea.

For those who want to remember and write more, Thompson works with them to help them sort of wake up their own memories and capture them in words. I encourage you to read the interview and learn more about Thompson and her special skill. 

The story has reinvigorated my interest in writing more about my own life as a gift to my kids and grandkids. The small details of my life might not seem that interesting to me, but one day when I’m not around to answer questions, those details might mean the world to my family.

I’m curious, have you written down your own memories to share with others?

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