Think About It This Way

You might regret not asking your parents to record their stories, but would you ever regret asking them to do it? Put this way, the answer is kind of obvious.

Have you shied from this because you imagine they'll think you're focused on their mortality? Or are you assuming they would have mentioned it if it was something they wanted to do? Or maybe it's because your relationship is complicated. I totally get it.

But it doesn't have to be a touchy subject. True, they may not interested. On the other hand, you may be pleasantly surprised. Recently, Joe told me that his mother was elated to write a Familial letter. Apparently, she had been meaning to write a letter to her kids for a long time, but it was just too much so she gave up before she even started. News to Joe.

It can be daunting for parents to do this on their own, but most are very willing to do it with some help. Here are what some clients said after writing a Familial letter:

"I had wanted to do something like this for a while, but I never had the discipline or structure." ~ Ed

"The idea of doing this was scary. Can I capture it? Can I do it? I came out acknowledging that I have experience and wisdom. Writing this letter is the best thing I did this year! ~Charles Etta.