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Legacy Books: Sifting Through the Past in the Best Way to Understanding Your Family Legacy
So many times, a skeptical family member will ask “what on earth is so interesting about a bunch of deceased relatives?” This question rankles one too many genealogists. It does not matter how long you have been looking for answers because legacy books can bring your journey to an end.
What are Legacy Books?
Just to be clear, legacy books are nicely crafted physical books that show your ancestral past. All the information that is gathered during the genealogy research process is add to this book along with snippets of your family tree. Someone viewing your book can easily distinguish what your family members had accomplished in past generations. Legacy books can also include small stories of events and achievements of individuals in your family, such as well known individuals write about their books about leaving a legacy.
Let us take the story of Elaine Clements, who was trying to trace her 20 year family history. However, her research instantly came to an end when she found a plain brown packing box. As soon as she opened it, she came face to face with a gold-embossed, writer leather legacy book.
Her eyes filled up with tears because she knew the treasure that she has found. This book comprised of everything about her family, including all the relevant names, dates, marriage information and even histories of life and death. In the past, she was trying to track down stereotypical genealogical information but now she had many of the answers she was looking for.
Personal Stories
The legacy book that was left behind by Elaine’s family was a reflection of all other legacy books; even the ones that may run in your own family. The information that is contained in the pages of the books is accurate and factual. There are also many personal stories that families often want to preserve for generations that are yet to come. The best part? You can complete your family’s legacy book by filling in recent happenings and other information that may be lacking.
Continuing the Stories
For instance, Elaine realized that her family legacy book did not have all the information that she needed and she wanted the rest of her family to connect past histories to what their lives had become. However, it is best to understand that legacy books cannot be completed instantly.
It took many years for Elaine to fill in the blanks of her family history. It also took time travel to different places and document the relevant information that pertained to her family members. She studied time periods and all of the places in which her ancestors had lived.
She wrote down all important facts. The final step was putting everything together for the rest of her family to read. Over time, other members of her family would be able to continue the legacy book where Elaine left off.
Writing Your Family Legacy Book
Working on a legacy books that pertains to your relatives and all of your descendants is one of the most valuable things that you can do for your loved ones. Knowing where they came from, what they did and how they lived their lives may shape the future of other generation to come.
After all, legacy books create an important connection between family members. Needless to say, completing your family’s legacy book is a labor of love. Your history does not have to be perfect, therefore, you need not put unnecessary pressure on yourself.
Here a few tips that will allow you to complete your family legacy book in easy and manageable steps.
Do not try to capture it all
It is always better to start with the most important messages that you want to leave your loved ones. You can alternatively pick the things that have made the most impact in your life. Once you start putting these thoughts on paper the rest will come easily.
Be flexible
You do not want to be rigid when writing a legacy book. For instance, the events do not need to appear chronologically. Instead, you can begin your family history in any way that you like. It is better to tell your family history by subject matter or family member.
Start with short term goals
Granted, the main purpose of embarking on your family’s legacy book is to complete it. But it is better to eat an elephant one bite at a time. In other words, you can simply set half an hour every day to write something’s. Keep all your goals specific and have a timeline to ensure that you are making progress.
Lower your expectations
Forget about perfection. Your legacy book does not have to be perfectly written, packaged or even organized. It only needs to be a book that your family can treasure. The value of what you are writing is of utmost importance and it should be seen through every piece of photo or information.
Take the first step
Legacy books are meant to give your family an identity as well as hope. Do not regret not embarking on this sooner. Take that first step and never look back.
The Benefits of Letting a Professional Put Together Your Family’s Legacy Book
It is common to experience difficulties when attempting to put together your family’s legacy books. There are many roadblocks that may hinder you from finding the information that you really need, especially if it originates from centuries ago. The good news is that you do not need to embark on this process alone. Record Click has a handful of capable genealogy professionals who will be able to assist you on different aspects of your legacy book.
Our qualified professionals will ensure that:
- Sufficient time is dedicated to the project – As previously discussed, legacy books are not to be rushed; they take many years to be completed. You can be certain that your family’s history will be in the best hands. We will fine-comb through every detail and dedicate sufficient time to the project.
- You are advised on how to proceed – You may want to work on your family’s legacy book individually, considering that it is a personal project. Our professionals are ready to advise you on how to move forward and the proper steps that will ensure completion of the book.
- Proper organization – It is only normal to haul out box after of family journals, scrapbooks and boxes. Some of the stories included in them may be out of context or illegible. We are here to ensure that everything makes sense through good organization.
Compiling your family’s history is a wonderful and rewarding journey. Through a legacy book, you will be able to give the rest of your family members something to look back or forward to. We will assist you in the proper planning and organization of the project. This next phase of the answers that you need for you and generations to come. Record Click has got you covered! After all, preserving legacies is an art. We are here to make that possible.
Price for a Legacy Book
Please contact us for pricing..