We have spent a lifetime carefully accumulating our possessions. And by now, we all probably have more than we can manage. So now we are faced with the dreaded task of DOWNSIZING … purposely curating what will remain.
After the rented dumpster has been picked up and we survey our most heartfelt treasures, there is no guarantee that after we are gone, our children will value what we are so carefully leaving behind.
The question is “Why?” And the answer is ignorance. If we do not pass on the family stories surrounding each treasure, our descendants will have no reason to keep them. And this will be our fault.
Our failure to pass on the emotional and relational connections to paintings, knick knacks, the big spoon, a crystal sail boat, the quilt in the blanket chest … requires an intervention. A remedy. And while our children are busy at work and living their lives, it becomes our responsibility to prepare to transfer our family legacy. For when the time comes.
Now HOW we do that is personal. Do we write a notebook/log filled with stories and rich family history? Do we tag each treasure with a quick label taped to the back? Do we make mini videos for each piece? What do we do???
For the Brother and I, we are going to share our heritage, online, with privacy protocols set in place for family viewing only. Why? Because our high-tech children and grandchildren will give more attention and honor to what they can access and read anytime. It’s how they communicate. It’s their world. And if we want them to value their family legacy, we have to navigate within their parameters and meet them where they are.
So going forward, your task is to do the same … to consider your own family’s path when forging a legacy.
Carry on.
Almost80.blog 