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LEARN HOW TO MAKE OUR TYPE LARGER

Family ties
Published April 2000

By CYN LoPINTO
Editor-in-chief, gerontologist

Pick up the TV section in any newspaper and you will find biography-type shows listed on many channels. A&E may have started this trend with its “Biography,” but many other networks are now following their lead. Lifetime, E!, MTV, VH1, PBS, Bravo, CNN and MSNBC are just some of the stations cashing in on this format.

It is easy to become hooked while watching these shows. A person you never particularly cared about suddenly becomes quite interesting. You start to feel a real connection when you see how turns and detours change the direction of someone’s life. We can all relate to this learning process.

You don’t need to be a movie star, musician or politician to have a fascinating life story. Let your family be your audience. The choices you’ve made and events you’ve lived through can be a great learning tool to those younger than you. Children and/or grandchildren love to hear what life was like when you were “their age.” They are truly interested in the things you went through and how you got through them. They start to see you in a different light (not just mom/dad grandpa/grandma).

There are as many ways to go about telling your life story as there are life stories. You can do it in a book format, on audio tape, note cards or video. You can include photographs, souvenirs, memorabilia and journals. Do it in a way that is as individual as you are. Let your imagination be your guide.

To help get you started, we’ve listed some ideas to include in your biography on the following page. This is by no means a complete list, and some of these items may not pertain to your life. Get as personal as you feel comfortable with and have fun. You’ll start to remember things you haven’t thought about in years. You may not be famous enough to have your story on television, but it is definitely worth telling.

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