I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.
- Chinese Proverb
As a personal historian, I write a good deal about the need to record and preserve memories. It’s important that we remember our stories and the stories of those who’ve come before. What this proverb reminds me of is that doing a personal history of a family member also leads to greater awareness of who that person is. I recall that interviewing my mother for a book on her life made me come to understand her much more than I had previously. Her concerns, values and motivations all made much more sense to me.
When we help someone with their life story we also benefit from this undertaking.
Photo by Daniel Greene
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