The stories of our parents' lives - so much we don't know

I've decided to embark on a new project, and I thought I'd share it with you - that way I've said it out loud and feel more accountable for making it happen.

I figure everyone has at least one story in them, probably many more than one. And so often those stories go untold. My mum has spent the past couple of years piecing together our family tree. In the process, she's discovering snippets about her rellies, little bits of information that let her build a picture of who each person was. It even seems a couple of the sly dogs had more than one wife (at a time)! Scandalous!

All this picture-building got me thinking about my own parents' stories. What did they do with themselves before I came along, what were their aspirations, their favourite ways to spend time, where did they travel, and why? What made them choose a particular path over another? I also feel the need to know my husband's parents' stories. These people are so integral to our lives, so special to us, but there are a million things we don't know about them, their lives. What made them who they are?

So, here's my project: I'd like to spend a whole bunch of time with each of them and record their stories. I think it's called taking an 'oral history'. With their permissions, I'd like to share a few highlights here.

So watch this space.