Story Guide

If you knew your grandparents, describe them in a few paragraphs. Examples: visiting their home, spending time together, going places together.

Were you the only child born to your parents? If not, what was your birth order? If applicable, describe your siblings and share their birthdates.

What was your earliest childhood memory?

Describe your most vivid childhood memory.

What was your fondest childhood memory?

Describe what you remember most about your parents or the person(s) who raised you.

What attribute or value did you most appreciate about each of your parents?

What childhood memory or tradition did your parents or other family member(s) impart upon you that you passed along to your own family members?

Describe where you went to school

What were the name(s) of your favorite teachers? Do you have a particular memory from elementary school that still resonates with you today? Do you remember how many students were in your class? What was your favorite subject?

Detail what you enjoyed most, or least, about the school you attended.

What was the name of your best friend? What do you remember most about him/her?

Did you suffer from any childhood illnesses? If so, who would take care of you, and what food did you eat to feel better?

Where did you go after school? Did you go home, to a relative’s, or stay somewhere else? Did you have chores or other responsibilities?

During the summers of your younger childhood years (before high school) what would you do? Where would you go? What was your favorite thing to do?

Describe when you felt like an adult for the first time.

Talk about your closest friendships in high school. What did you do together? How long did these friendships last? What did you and your friends do on the weekends?

What other activities at school were you involved with other than classes?

Did you have a “rites of passage” into adulthood with a special faith or family celebration? If so, describe what happened and when spirituality became important to you.

If you graduated from high school, describe the graduation. Who came? Did you have a party afterwards to celebrate?

What do you remember about your first job? Where was it at and what did you do? Did you enjoy it, or was it simply a means to making money?

Where did you live when you moved out of the family home where you were raised?

If you attended college, where did you go? How did you make the decision of which college to attend?

Did you meet someone important to you at university?

Are you married? If so, are you married to your first spouse? If not, how long did that relationship last? What is your relationship status now? If you wish to expand upon your relationship, such as your engagement, wedding or honeymoon, please feel free to do so here.

Do you have children? If so, how many?

Describe what you remember about the births of your children, raising them, and any other special memories of when they were little. If you did not have children, was there someone in your life that was equally as important to you?

Describe special memories about each of your children or other special members of the family, such as a prized pet. Share a specific event for each one and what made them unique.

Describe your work life, what you did, where you worked, and how long you worked there. Include what you feel to be the most important or significant position you ever held and why.

During your young adulthood years, what did you do during the hours you weren’t working?

Describe the individuals in your life who were particularly important to you (at this point in your life).

What would you consider to be your greatest professional accomplishment?

What would you consider to be your greatest personal accomplishment?

If you made some type of positive impact on your community, your state, or nation, that you would like future generations to know about, describe it here.

Did you have a green thumb or other “creative” talents? If so, what were they?

What is your favorite color? What is your favorite song?

Do you have a particular life lesson or saying that you wish to pass down to others?

If you are able to do so, name at least three people who made a significant impact upon your life and why.

If you ever attended family reunions, tell where they were and what you remember about them. What were some of the last names other than yours at these reunions?

Did you have any superstitions in your life, i.e. with sports, or ones handed down through the generations before you? If so, describe them in detail.

What was your favorite meal as a child and who made it?

What was your children or other family member’s favorite meal of yours?

Did you routinely read a newspaper or listen/watch the news? If so, which one was it?

What did you feel was important to teach the people you care?

Were there lessons or traditions handed down from a previous generation to you which you still cherish today?

Throughout your life what was your favorite holiday? How did you celebrate?

Describe the best place in the world you ever visited and what you liked about it.

Describe someplace you always wanted to visit and why.

When was the most satisfying period of your life?

If you went through a particularly difficult time, when was it and why did it occur? How did you overcome the adversity?

If you ever had a cause you worked for or a volunteer effort that was important to you, describe it.

Describe your political experiences or beliefs. If you had a party affiliation, which one was it?

Did you ever experience a moment in your life when you felt enlightened? If so, when was it?

What traits do your children embody that are stereotypically yours?

What did you feel was the most important life lesson to teach your children?

What activities did your children participate in that you either participated in or gave them encouragement for?

If you still have a mate, what have you learned about him/her over the years that you didn’t know when you were first united?

Of all the places you have lived, which has been your favorite?

If you retired from an occupation, describe how you spent your retirement days and evenings.

If grandchildren came into your life, describe memories of the first one and each one thereafter.

What is one thing you feel most important for your grandchildren to understand about you?

What do you appreciate about culture today vs. when you were growing up?

Describe an unfulfilled dream.

If you are in the final stage of your life due to an illness, describe how it came about, and your acceptance of it now.

If you are not terminally ill but you are in the years considered as “old age,” what are your hopes for the future? Is there anything you still wish to accomplish?

As you look back on your life, what are you most proud of? What are your fondest memories as an adult?

What advice or favorite sayings would you give members of your family?

Many of us remember exactly what we were doing when an event occurred that “shook the world.” Examples may be when man first stepped on the moon, when JFK was shot, or when the World Trade Centers in New York were struck by terrorists. Did any national event occur during your lifetime that made you reevaluate your own life and/or what was important to you?

How did the events of COVID-19 re-shape your family dynamics? How did it alter the course of your own life?

If you know or have a chart of your family tree and ancestry, upload it to your story, or add a link to your online family tree.

List your major diseases and hospitalizations. List the diseases or medical history and cause of death of your parents and grandparents.

Epilogue or Final Words