David Laschinger
Have you ever thought about the legacy you will leave? What will your friends and family remember about you? For a generation or two, some will remember stories we told, perhaps ones about where and how we grew up and the changes we’ve seen.
“Your story is the greatest legacy that you will leave to your friends. It’s the longest-lasting legacy you will leave to your heirs.” — Steve Saint, 67, son of a missionary pilot.
Believing that writing their personal story would help preserve their legacy, seven Robson residents attended the first Guided Autobiography workshop offered onsite. GAB was introduced by the late Dr. James Birren in the mid-1970s while he was the founding dean of the Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California. Since then, many have trained as GAB instructors, including Alexandra “Alex” Ward who led the classes here at Robson.
The underlying purpose of the workshop was to give the students tools to help them begin writing their story. Each weekly session had homework – to write 800 to 1000 words on a given theme such as branching points, family, health and body, money and goals and aspirations (past and future). Class member Trish Arnold recounted, “We were given sensitizing questions about the theme to help generate ideas for our writing assignment and they really helped me get my thoughts into some order and on to paper.”
The two-hour sessions included time for each person to read their assignment to the class members. Class member, Jane Dickson, said, “I got to share my story with others in the class and I got to hear their stories. Those of us in the small class, most of whom had never met [previously], got to understand each other.”
“The most fun in class was when each class member read their assigned theme,” Trish said. “Everyone had interesting and sometimes funny stories about their life and everyone had a unique way of telling their stories. This exchange not only helped us get to know our fellow students but helped us learn the different ways to tell a story.”
Alex, with her spell-binding Scottish accent, received high praise from the class. “I can’t say enough good things about Alex,” Trish proclaimed. “She was fun, knew her stuff and came prepared each week.”
Jane summed up the course this way: “This class was an excellent investment in myself. Anyone who is looking at the price and wondering if it is worth it should stop hesitating, because it can be a wonderful experience. If you are wanting to write your family’s story, there is no time like the present to start with this class. If you are just doing it for yourself, I highly recommend the experience!”
Plans are underway to offer the workshop again at Robson Ranch. Watch the HOA emails for upcoming dates.
Ben Franklin said, “If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”