Your Roadmap to Creating & Preserving Your Family Legacy

Video Storyteller Gaylotta Murray, founder Your Best Life Media

I hesitate as I write this cliché but “we are living in unprecedented times” forgive me but I could not think of a better way to describe our COVID-19 pandemic collective experiences in nearly ten months. 

Masks, while a health and safety necessity, have become a part of our everyday attire. The way we socialize with each other has been redefined. We do not see each other as often as before and certainly not as often as we would like. Social opportunities such as dining out have also been redefined by plexi glass, carry out only, tables spaced six feet apart or restricted to outdoor dining. 

Our friendships and communication have moved to virtual platforms where we are anxiously poised, confused, but glad to be able to talk with someone other than those with whom you live with. 

Social distancing has greatly impacted life course events such as weddings, funerals, birthdays, baby showers, graduations, and anniversaries. However, our resilience helps us to persevere. And while they may not be celebrated in the same manner, we celebrate. Ultimately, we create memories so unique that we must capture experience. Who is the driver for these captured moments? Who takes responsibility for preserving these moments? There needs to be a driver for this journey and that is likely you! 

Roadmaps to our memories are validated by the photos we take. For each event and experience noted there were hundreds of pictures taken with digital cameras or mobile phones. 

As we age gracefully let us not forget our responsibility to create the roadmap to the memories of our loved ones during this pandemic. Hopefully, we will not experience another one soon, but it is important to tell your story today. Take pictures for the visual language and document the sharing of memories. Talk to the elders because they hold so many precious memories and we do not know how long they will be here. What better time to get started than now while you and your family are at home staying safe? 

Here are 7 Basic Steps for preserving your family legacy 

1. Start by locating all your digital photos and move them safely to memory storage. 

2. Collect all of you print photos and begin to organize them. Have them converted to digital photos. 

3. Take oral histories, with video if desired. (Be sure to add this to your storage) 

4. Encourage writing of memoirs. 

5. Break out the scrapbooks and photo albums. 

6. Sing, whistle or hum the old songs. Dancing is optional but foot-tapping is required. 

7. Ask questions about anything and everything; our elders are expert witnesses to life, and cross examination knows no bounds. 

I’m Gaylotta Murray, Video Storyteller for Your Best Life Media. Want to learn more? Click this link. 

 https://your-best-life-media.lpages.co/turn-your-photos-into-video-memories