Unexpected Joys...

[mervap]

It's spring cleaning time at my house this weekend....I know, it's a little late, but.... I was organizing my video game center today and was rummaging around and found an unexpected treasure: my Mom!

I should explain that, back in the year 2000, I made a gift for my two sisters. I made up 75 questions to ask my Mom, one for each year, and "interviewed" her...I gave my sisters a copy each and it got rave reviews. I had kept the interview on zip discs, the format upon which it was made. Last year, I went back to listen to it after she passed away, but found the disc to be inexplicably empty. I was quite upset, but figured I would get a copy from one of my sisters. Hadn't done that yet, but today I found a CD copy that I assume LC made at the time and forgot about. I haven't heard her voice since January, 2010...what a great joy it's been, listening to this CD!

[mervap]

I should mention that I recorded the interview....forgot to mention that!

[oldasSoul]

It's terrific that you were able to hear her voice once again, after her passing. My parents are now approaching that age/level of frailty and an interview like you conducted would be a great idea, particularly for my kids.

I think LC deserves a bouquet/spa day/box of chocolates, or all of the above for her incredible foresight!

[mervap]

My sentiments exactly!

[DazedOblivion]

That is absolutely wonderful that those recordings were found when you thought that they might be lost forever.

[Greg]

It was a nice way to rediscover them.  I am happy for you.

[mervap]

My parents are now approaching that age/level of frailty and an interview like you conducted would be a great idea, particularly for my kids.

I highly recommend doing this if your parents will agree to it...I asked Mom to be candid and provided her with some sample questions so she would know kinda what I would be asking about. I asked mostly about her life before me, the things I never saw myself. I found a much better understanding of her by doing that.

[chris]

what an unexpected treasure. i, too, have been forced to at least consider coping with life without parents. my father was always fearless. truly a model of what i always aspired to be. but he was on a ladder painting recently, had a dizzy spell...and fell. not far, but he did indeed fall. the mess was managebale. but it shook his confidence. now this formerly fearless role model doesn't even want to step on a stool.

i'm going to do exactly as you suggested, sir mervap. i have always been close to my dad. could talk about anything. but the thought of a day when i can no longer hear his voice is incomprehensably sad. you are a wise man. and i am sincerely happy for your find. may we all be as lucky.

[Borris]

You did well to do those interviews. I have quite a few papers from my mother, including a few short childhood stories but I would now like to have interviewed her and got her to talk more about her childhood.

For my father a biography was starting to be written which unfortunately went pear shaped. But at least I do have some stuff on him from that.

Your parents aren't there forever and it is great to have their stories.

[lampie1970]

we sometimes forget that what a person knows goes with them, unless they tell someone else. If anyone ever asks: "what did we do before technology?!", that is your answer! We talked about our lives to one another.

Kudos merv! and kudos michelle! for realizing how precious something could be in real time, not just in hindsight.