A beautiful sentiment, tim. I've watched as the world has changed. Social media has become a revolution that has forever changed the way we interact. We don't write or send notes and letters anymore. We post and text... we share our intimacy on facebook and the like. We meet people through apps... the rules have changed. There was a time when we all had a box of written letters, cards and keepsakes, but that has been relegated to the past. Birthday cards are often E-cards (fortunately, not from my children... I have everyone they've ever made or later, given me).... To us, the written word is special. Not so for a lot of us now. How many years before ONLY e-books are sold... it's a horrifying thought. I'm with you on this... my kids will have much of what I've written when I'm gone. What little I have of my mother's, I treasure. I hope people learn from what you recommend... I have only photos from my dad....

It's a very lovely idea Tim.

I hadn't lose anyone until two years ago when my grandpa passed away and like you said of course we have things that were his and my grandma insists we take whatever we want that was his but it's something I can't do cause I can't find an object that would translate how I feel about him/what we share or who he was in my eyes. But I've got my memories and a few pictures with me. But even that, they're going to fade away with time and my (hypothetical) kids will probably don't care about great grandpa who had to go to the war, liked gardening, having the family around him and ended up losing his mind.

So yes a journal/diary with things that make us is a really great idea to leave behind

It's a very lovely idea Tim.

I hadn't lose anyone until two years ago when my grandpa passed away and like you said of course we have things that were his and my grandma insists we take whatever we want that was his but it's something I can't do cause I can't find an object that would translate how I feel about him/what we share or who he was in my eyes. But I've got my memories and a few pictures with me. But even that, they're going to fade away with time and my (hypothetical) kids will probably don't care about great grandpa who had to go to the war, liked gardening, having the family around him and ended up losing his mind.

So yes a journal/diary with things that make us is a really great idea to leave behind

They will care clochette, one day they will and so you should write down who your Grandpa was, what you felt and feel. Write it in Word or Evernotes but print it out or better yet copy it in your handwriting ... I love looking at my mum's left slanting handwriting and signture, it's part of her as yours is part of you.

No likes ...

Beautifully said, Tim.  

 Thanks Val xoxo... glad you're back and hopefully healthy!

I do think about what I'm leaving behind. Not as much lately but at one point it was regular. I wanted to make sure I left the world at least a smidgen better that it was before I entered it. When I felt I'd accomplished that goal, my priorities shifted. As far as my writing is concerned, A reader said I wrote socially engaged stories. Not necessarily preachy, but raising awareness of issues facing humanity. That was the ultimate in validation for me. I'd much rather inspire or prod than bring tears (although I've supposedly done some of that.) Maybe that's why I admire artists like Springsteen or Bono who use the platform their music gives them to try and make the world a better place.

I do think about what I'm leaving behind. Not as much lately but at one point it was regular. I wanted to make sure I left the world at least a smidgen better that it was before I entered it. When I felt I'd accomplished that goal, my priorities shifted. As far as my writing is concerned, A reader said I wrote socially engaged stories. Not necessarily preachy, but raising awareness of issues facing humanity. That was the ultimate in validation for me. I'd much rather inspire or prod than bring tears (although I've supposedly done some of that.) Maybe that's why I admire artists like Springsteen or Bono who use the platform their music gives them to try and make the world a better place.

I agree with that reader, C, your stories are socially engaged. Springsteen I'll give you, Bono, we'd have to talk.

Tim, we've talked about this, you and I. Seeing it here, and reading the responses makes me think about it again.  It's been a life of interesting twists.  Some wonderful, some really awful.  Maybe this weekend I'll look at journals......and a nice pen. 

Thanks for sharing these thoughts. It's as I said before.  What you write causes people to think.  

Molly xoxo

Tim, we've talked about this, you and I. Seeing it here, and reading the responses makes me think about it again.  It's been a life of interesting twists.  Some wonderful, some really awful.  Maybe this weekend I'll look at journals......and a nice pen. 

Thanks for sharing these thoughts. It's as I said before.  What you write causes people to think.  

 

Molly xoxo

I hope you do buy yourself a journal.  There's a poem somewhere you can put in there!!  Your story will be of interest to your kids, kids how cool would it be to read that, to have it.  Hugs my friend xoxxo

You originally suggested I get a journal or sketchbook some months ago. Taking your advice was one of my better moves. I am slowly filling up a repurposed notebook with false starts, beginnings and final copies of poems, many of which will never see the light of day. But you were absolutely right. And I think the day will come when someone may try to make sense out of my scrawl, and it will be a valued bit of what I leave behind. At least that is what I hope. You have hit the nail completely squarely on this one, Tim.

You originally suggested I get a journal or sketchbook some months ago. Taking your advice was one of my better moves. I am slowly filling up a repurposed notebook with false starts, beginnings and final copies of poems, many of which will never see the light of day. But you were absolutely right. And I think the day will come when someone may try to make sense out of my scrawl, and it will be a valued bit of what I leave behind. At least that is what I hope. You have hit the nail completely squarely on this one, Tim.

That's super Parker. Makes me happy ...

I'm late leaving my comments on this, but I want to say it's beautifully written. Your style - whether prose or verse - has a cut to the chase directness that is always arresting. Oftentimes, it is downright beautiful.

The thoughts you share with us here are deep ones, and ones I can relate to very personally. Thanks for sharing, and as always, thanks for being you first and foremost   

I'm late leaving my comments on this, but I want to say it's beautifully written. Your style - whether prose or verse - has a cut to the chase directness that is always arresting. Oftentimes, it is downright beautiful.

 

The thoughts you share with us here are deep ones, and ones I can relate to very personally. Thanks for sharing, and as always, thanks for being you first and foremost   

Thanks AC. You're very kind. I just write what I feel but thank you. 

You made a point about handwriting, Tim. I would like to emphasize that.

My mom has been gone for a long time now. When I was preparing her house for sale, I kept looking for something in her hand, and that of my dads. I came up empty with the exception of a page of figures, my mom's way of planning her finances in an attempt to do things like pay off the mortage early. I can remember her sitting with coffee at the breakfast table when I got up for school working on one of these pages of numbers. The one I found was on an envelope a bill had come in. I have no proof of it, but I imagine the numbers were how to pay that particular bill. It may sound silly, but i saved that envelope, ans still have it almost ten years later.

I guess what I am trying to say is write notes to your family and close friends. Save things they have written. You will be glad you did.

You made a point about handwriting, Tim. I would like to emphasize that.

My mom has been gone for a long time now. When I was preparing her house for sale, I kept looking for something in her hand, and that of my dads. I came up empty with the exception of a page of figures, my mom's way of planning her finances in an attempt to do things like pay off the mortage early. I can remember her sitting with coffee at the breakfast table when I got up for school working on one of these pages of numbers. The one I found was on an envelope a bill had come in. I have no proof of it, but I imagine the numbers were how to pay that particular bill. It may sound silly, but i saved that envelope, ans still have it almost ten years later.

I guess what I am trying to say is write notes to your family and close friends. Save things they have written. You will be glad you did.