Telling Our Stories

Recalling one's life story and offering it to the world can be a major part of the intentional aging process. However if it is ego-driven it loses much of the value to following generations.

Our lives are built on the relationships we have accumulated from the past and those we will create in the future. So our story is not just about us but also about others who have come into our life. In fact Richard Leider writes in his book "Claiming Your Place At the Fire" that our lives can be connected to people spanning more than two-hundred years. Imagine!

This reminds me that our lives will influence other peoples lives, no matter how we choose to live. This also reminds me that our time on the planet has not been for naught....no matter how successful, affluent, healthy, or creative we are. In other words your life makes a difference. How do you want it to be?

Our life stories then should not be a rehash of the events of our lives, rather they can be about the very principles of humanity and the concepts that bond us all together no matter our age. Using life stories to illustrate these principles and illuminating how we learned from our experiences is an inspiring way to influence others.

We did not get here alone. Leider further says "Our historical circumstances are as important as our genetic makeup. Unique advantages or disadvantages, challenges or privileges, opportunities or handicaps are ingredients of our own story. Neither are we born into, nor do we live our lives, in a vacuum."

Here on the Intentional Aging Collective we will be using specific examples of life stories from time to time and we would love to have your stories here. I think that Jenny had a great example of this when she told her story here about the Four Generations. Check it out!