YES, YOU DO HAVE A FASCINATING LIFE!
At Your Video Memoir, we love nothing more than spending 3-4 hours talking to our clients’ parents and
grandparents about their – to us – amazing lives. But we realize some people are reluctant to have a
memoir created. Their excuse? “I’ve lived a nice life, but there’s nothing really special about it. Who’d be
interested in hearing about it?”
The answer? Everyone who’s ever known you would be interested.
The more compelling answer? Many people who will never meet you will be very interested. They
include your great-grandchildren, their children, and their children’s children. They will want to know
everything they can about your life and times. The hurdles you faced – and how you overcame them.
The most devious thing you did in your life. The accomplishment you’re most proud of. They want to
discover what you’re made of in order to see if they have that same stuff flowing through their veins.
My Grandfather’s Gift
I was in college when the Vietnam war was going on. During my senior year, they created the draft lottery, numbers drawn based on birthdates. My number was quite high and I knew that, in all likelihood, I’d never get drafted. Before that lottery, however, the odds of being shipped off to war were all too real.
During that time of uncertainty, I thought often of my grandfather. He lived in a shtetl in Poland in the 1920s. Jews were often conscripted to be pawns in the front line of the army. The story that was handed down in my family is that my grandfather cut off his big toe in order to avoid being drafted.
I knew I’d never resort to anything that extreme to avoid the draft. But simply having that knowledge,
the fact that my own grandfather had such resolve, gave me the confidence to know that I could handle
any situation – even being sent to Vietnam.
My grandfather led, by any standard, a normal life. After he moved to America he became a traveling
peddler. Nothing really special happened. Yet having the knowledge of that one act passed down to me
from my father gave me a realigned sense of whom I descended from. It filled me with quiet
confidence, the knowledge that, no matter how bleak the odds, I could find a way to overcome them.
What gift will you give?
Share Memories With Your Video Memoir
The story of your life, no matter how “ordinary” you believe it might be, is perhaps the greatest gift you
can bestow upon your family. Your strength will resonate years from now with a descendant in need of
courage. Your love with echo across the years, providing comfort in a time of need.
Whether you believe it or not, you have a fascinating life! And the time to share it is now.
With Your Video Memoir, we strive to make every video a precious gift to future generations. More than
a life story, we aim to capture a life’s treasure. Call us today at 248-568-8460 to book your video
