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I Just Retired...Now What?

Your stories matter 📖

Published 10 months ago • 2 min read

Hey there, Reader!

The other day, my dad shared a story that made me smile. It was a simple memory that opened a little window into my family history.

Here’s the story, in my dad’s words:

It was a hot summer day in the ‘50s on Leal St, where I grew up. No air conditioning, so everyone had their windows open. My grandmother, Mamá María, was visiting. She was in the kitchen cooking.
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I opened a closet to look for something and saw a small case that looked like it might hold a tiny guitar. I brought it into the kitchen and asked, ‘Do you know who this belongs to?’
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She said, ‘It’s mine. Bring it here. It’s my mandolin.’
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Then she sat down and started to play. The most beautiful music I’d ever heard. It sounded like something from Venice. I stood there, frozen, just listening.
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When she was done, she told me to put it back and went right back to cooking. Like it was nothing.
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Later, I went to visit my friend Johnny—his backyard touched ours. His mom answered the door and asked who had been playing so beautifully. I proudly told her it was my grandmother.

Along with this story, he shared this photo, which shows my great-grandmother, Mama Maria; her son, my Tio Rosendo; and her daughter (my dad’s mom and my grandmother).

I love this story so much 🥰! I love the glimpse it gave me into my dad’s childhood, and into the quiet gifts of my great-grandmother. And as someone who loves music (I have a music degree), it helped me understand where that love may have come from.

Since I don’t have any children of my own, I made sure to write this story down and save the picture to share with my nieces and nephews and their children. Stories like this are more than just sweet memories; they’re threads in the tapestry of who we are. And they’re worth writing down.

If you’ve ever thought about preserving your own stories to share with future generations, retirement is the perfect time to do this. If you need some help getting started, check out our article, Craft Your Legacy: Powerful Tips For Writing Your Memoir.

You don’t need to be a professional writer. You just need a story you care about—and a little help getting it on the page.

Warmly,

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I Just Retired...Now What?

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