As a person ages there are lots of losses that occur. Loss of work, possible loss of spouse or children, loss of house and home, loss of person such as memory, ability to move, hear, see etc…This can cause a down mood or even depression.
But there are ways to combat this and one way is to tell their story. Everyone has a story. It can be told via writing, recording or just telling. This is a way for a person to explore who they are and what they stand for, what they have done and the meaning of their life. It is also a way for their relatives who come after them to know them by their own words.
There are several ways to encourage story telling.
- To start at the beginning and continue through to the end
- Use prompts to start the story Such as who was you first love, how did that journey go? Or what was your favorite subject in school and why?
- Use pictures to help them tell their story, pictures of when the person was young or when their own family was young.
- Or perhaps just a picture of nature might trigger a story.
Conversations about life and faith and meaning can start the creative process. If your loved one is unable to write or do this themselves, perhaps it would be a good and fun thing for you to help them with the project.
It is of great value for us as humans and the world to tell our stories.
Recent Comments