Every summer, on the last Sunday in June, my family would head off to the local park for the family reunion. I can’t honestly say I enjoyed it that much – mostly because I hate potlucks! But, food aside, I would often find myself being pulled into conversations with old ladies I barely knew. I was young and it was uncomfortable to have them asking me questions.

The reunion has been over for many years now and I sometimes find myself wondering if I would have enjoyed it more if I’d been the one asking the questions!

If I were to relive those days now, I’d take a notebook and a recorder and start asking cousin Mildred about her life before she was married (I learned years later that she had nearly married a guy who owned a drag strip! A far cry from the good church man she eventually married).

Why don’t you ask some questions this year? You could start building a collection of family stories (make sure you tell your relatives you want to record it for a family archive – they might not want to share with the whole clan!). 

Talking to people about themselves is easy to do! You don’t need a journalism degree to learn about people. Most are more than willing to share about their lives. You will be amazed at how interesting your kin really are!