Writing History
For so many of us the pandemic has meant that our social and group activities have been seriously reduced for some time now. The end result has been more hours spent in and around the house. Many people have used that extra time to do some impressive home renovations or, simply, what I call home adjustments: making better use of space, clearing unwanted clutter, and so forth. All very positive pursuits which have resulted in personal satisfaction according to those I know who have done it.
For my part, in the last few months I have been spending time writing my memoirs. No, I don’t have any great feats to talk about, like having been the recipient of a Nobel prize, but I wanted my children and grandchildren to know about the experiences of those who have come before them and how life has unfolded in recent decades.
The more I wrote, the more I realized that some of the events I was writing about were interesting from a historical point of view as well as from a family point of view. I think my grandchildren will be fascinated by the fact that not so long ago people led productive and happy lives without having a phone stuck to them at all times. Then I realized that the number of changes I have seen over the years is simply amazing. So my ongoing writing is not only for my family but also for me. There is satisfaction in knowing how we have progressed. A few decades ago I was the first one in my group to get a computer at home. Of course, it was basically a word processor, but I still remember how fascinated I was that I could simply delete copy with a few key strokes rather than with an eraser as had been the case when using a typewriter, a machine today’s kids may never have seen.
I think that all older people should consider writing about their experiences. Of course, not everyone likes to write, a relative told me recently, so I suggested she simply record her memories; the voice will be an additional personal aspect for her family.
I can attest to the fact that being busy with an interesting project helps reduce the worry about how much longer the pandemic will last. Even in dark days there’s always a light somewhere, is there not?
