Michael Walsh
Until recently, writing one’s life story was a formidable undertaking. Doing so was the preserve of the rich, the powerful, and professional writers. Today, with the aid of laptops and internet for searches, there is little effort needed to write one’s family memoirs.
Mandy Appleyard is broken-hearted for good reason. She laments lost opportunities to record her father’s life when she had, well, better things to do.
She says, “My sister and I used to groan when Dad started talking about the war: we'd throw our eyes to the ceiling and quickly change the subject - a fact of which I am now ashamed.
“It is ironic that, at the point in my life where I am most interested in filling in the gaps in my own family history, my father is too ill to provide them. I realise, with terrible regret, that I have left it too late.”
Mandy goes on to talk about the happy times she and her father shared. “I wasn't lucky enough to have children. Had I been, I would have urged them not to leave it too late to learn about their family, nor too late to love and spend time with the people who were part of their history, parents and grandparents included.”
Lyn from Liverpool was touched by Mandy’s story: “I totally understand this lady’s feelings. When Dad retired, we bought him an electric typewriter and asked him to write his life story. He did, we learned so much from that we laughed so much and cried even more over it. I just wish Mum had got around to doing hers. Mum died four weeks ago.”
Sarah from Stowmarket writes, “My dad is always telling us stories from his life so we gave him a big notebook and asked him to write them down. He is really enjoying doing them and we will have a great reminder one day.
“We did this and to date he has filled three large notebooks. He did not like talking about his childhood but writing it down was easier. These books, together with the research my sister has done into our family tree, are great for the younger members of the family to understand the life lived by their lineage.
Michael Walsh is a professional editor / ghost-writer. His fees for bringing your stories; memoirs, novel, fiction or real life at €20 per 1,000 words make your story doable. Get in touch. quite_write@yahoo.co.uk or call 662 067 490.