Christine pechacek

Share Your

STORY & Leave Your LEGACY

A PRIMER FOR

WRITING YOUR UNIQUE STORY

CHRISTINE PECHACEK Author & Legacy Writing Coach

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ou are one of a kind. No one else is like you. No one has ever been born or will be born who is uniquely you. There has never been, nor ever will there be, a story such as yours. The places you live, the people you know, the things you have seen and done can never be replicated. Every day of your life is a once in a lifetime event. Your lifetime.

Every life is a story. But more than a story, a life is a part of an intricately woven tapestry.

Think of your life as a piece of colored thread. The myriad threads are all woven together to make a big, expansive piece of colorful cloth. Each cloth is used in different ways but all have been woven together to make a whole. If you pull one thread, the design is altered. If you cut out a thread, the strength of the cloth is weakened. If you leave out a thread, the design is irrevocably changed.

Our culture, our world, tells us that only the best rise to the top and are rewarded and remembered. That is so untrue so as to be frightening. The famous are fixed in our minds.

We remember and quote the famous, the witty, the barrier breakers, the rule breakers and of course, the infamous. Like millions of others, I admire many people who have made inroads in life. I respect those who went before me and made such a difference in the world around me that my life is changed for the better.

But closer to home are those people I watch every day. Whether family or friends, there are people all around me that have, and do, influence me for the better. There are people in my life who make me want to be a better person, strive harder, and be an influence for others.

The truth is, we are those people. We are being watched. We all influence those around us; children, grandchildren, friends, co-workers, extended family, even strangers we pass, if but briefly. Pausing to chat with a cashier, the postal worker who waits on you at the counter, every life is impacted in some way by your unique life. Unfortunately, we rarely, if ever,

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pause to consider that profound fact. I am seldom, if at all, aware on a conscious level of the impact I might have on another person, whether it be brief or prolonged. Sometimes, we are privileged to find that something we did, or said, impacted a life.

Several months ago my daughter, Julie, was out with her husband for a meal. They went to a local restaurant and sat at the bar waiting for the waitress. A young waitress began staring at Julie. This went on long enough that Julie became uncomfortable. Finally the waitress approached her and said, “You don’t remember me, do you?”

Julie said that no she did not. The young woman went on to tell a story of being in a workshop Julie had presented. She said it changed her life. My daughter, completely unaware of the impact she would or could possibly have had on one life, was doing what came naturally to her, using her uniqueness to be open to others.

That is what Sharing Your Story and Leaving Your Legacy© is all about. It is why I am so passionate about what I do.

We make it too complicated. We defeat ourselves before we begin. We minimize who we are and our ability to impact the world. Your story is important. Your life is important. Who you are must be shared with the world.

That is what this booklet is about. It’s a Primer to help you get started and to remind you of how vital it is that you share who you are. Don’t give the pen to someone else to recall, recount or share memories, your memories, after you are gone. No one else can tell your story. It is your story.

Let me help you get started.

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SHARE YOUR STORY & LEAVE YOUR LEGACY©

The following pages are ideas to get you started. This is not a test. No one will ever read this other than you, if that is your choice. The ideas are simply things to prime the pump of your memories. Even the phrase, prime the pump, makes me think of a cabin we had when I was a little girl. There was no indoor plumbing and we got all our water from a stream and an outdoor pump, which we had to prime. That memory invokes so many others.

I highly recommend that you keep a journal. Write in it every day. Pay no attention to spelling, sentence structure, or making sense. Just write. If you write one sentence, you have written. But, that one sentence will lead to another, and another. I have kept journals for 30-plus years. I prefer leather journals only because it makes it more important and noteworthy to me.

Someday I want my children and grandchildren to go through them, read the pages, and perhaps get to know me in a new way. I want them to laugh and maybe even cry, but to know the person I became. And, in doing so, to better understand themselves.

As you begin, remember this is for you. And you are unique. Your story matters.

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Things to ponder. . .

I remember when I was around 7 years old, sitting on our living room floor and crying. I don’t remember why I was crying. My Father said to me, “You better stop crying or I’ll give you something to cry about.” I carried louder. That made no sense to me. I was already crying. It was a phrase I was to hear many times over the years.

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SHARE YOUR STORY & LEAVE YOUR LEGACY©

Make a list of things you remember hearing one of your parents say over and over again. Explain to yourself why you remember that line.

How old were you the first time you heard it? What were you doing? What time of year was it? What year was it? Does the memory make you happy or sad?

Why?

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It’s Friday Night. . .

Friday nights in Memphis, Michigan meant being with your girlfriends.

Someone had a car, or got their parent’s car for the evening. We all chipped in 25 cents apiece for gas and that usually filled the tank. We drove to Richmond, the town a few short miles south of us and drove from one end of town to the other. This we did for hours. And so did all our friends.

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SHARE YOUR STORY & LEAVE YOUR LEGACY©

It’s a Friday night and you are in High School. What did you do?

Where did you go?

Who did you go with? Did you own a car? What make, model, color? How much was a gallon of gas? What did you wear on a date? What was a typical date? Did you have a curfew?

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What is important. . . ?

As a very young girl, I remember an incident that made a huge impression on me, although that was not the point at all. My father had taken my younger sister out to a restaurant for a treat. They sat at the counter and ate donuts.

My father had coffee and my sister had chocolate milk. When they came home, my dad realized he had not paid for the chocolate milk. He called the restaurant and promised to return and pay for the chocolate milk. I think it was 5 cents. I was profoundly affected by that and today, one of my top values, if not the top, is honesty.

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SHARE YOUR STORY & LEAVE YOUR LEGACYŠ

What values do you hold high? List your top three.

Why are they important to you? How did you learn them? Who instilled those values in you so intensely? Write out at least one incident that taught you a value. How old were you? How has it shaped you today?

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Let’s Play. . .

I grew up in the paper doll era. I loved paper dolls and spent hours cutting them out, along with their clothes and any accessories that came with the paper doll family. I used Kleenex for beds and an empty Kleenex box was a handy thing to make use of for a car, a house, or a boat. I spent hours playing this game and it was something I enjoyed doing all by myself.

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SHARE YOUR STORY & LEAVE YOUR LEGACYŠ

What games did you play when you were a young child?

At 8 years old what were your favorite games? Who were the friends that played your favorite games with you? Are there games you enjoyed that are no longer around? What? When did they disappear? Have you ever introduced a game from your childhood to a grandchild? What was their reaction?  

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Amazing feats. . .

As a very young girl, I remember watching my mother prepare beef stew with homemade biscuits baked on top. I was awestruck each time the masterpiece came out of the oven, smelling delicious and looking beautiful. I was convinced that no one else on the earth could ever achieve such perfection in the way it looked and the way it tasted. The biscuits rose up high and browned perfectly in the oven, not moving except to rise to such a height.

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SHARE YOUR STORY & LEAVE YOUR LEGACYŠ

What do you remember as the most amazing thing about one of your parents?

Aunt? Uncle? Grandparent? Explain why you found that amazing? How old were you? Was it something you observed? Was it something you actually did with that person? Describe your feelings. Where were you at the time?

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The Creature from the Black Lagoon. . .

I was 8 years old and my life changed forever. I went to the theater with my brother to see The Creature From the Black Lagoon. It scared me to death!

I was certain from that time on to this day, that an underwater creature lurks just beneath a murky body of water to grab me when I least expect it.

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SHARE YOUR STORY & LEAVE YOUR LEGACYŠ

What were you most afraid of as a young child? Describe a time you were in the throes of terror.

Did you hid under your bed? Perhaps in a closet? Under the covers? Was it a movie you saw? A book you read? Did a sibling tell a story that frightened you? Did an overnight stay with friends and the old legends told get to you? How old were you?

Where did it happen? Who was with you? Were your friends afraid too?

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My Birthday. . .

When I was in third grade, our teacher, Mrs. Thompson, had a special treat for your birthday. You got to walk up to the front of the class and put your name on a giant piece of white paper propped against a wooden easel. It was quite the honor. So when my birthday came around, I was giddy with anticipation.

Mrs. Thompson announced to the class that it was Christine’s birthday. With a big smile, I walked to the giant easel and wrote my name in big black letters. I returned to my seat, sat down, and turned to view my handiwork. I spelled my name wrong. My own name. Somehow the thrill was gone.

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SHARE YOUR STORY & LEAVE YOUR LEGACYŠ

Describe an experience in grade school.

What grade were you in? Who was your teacher? Friends? Where did you sit in the classroom? What did you wear to school? Did you ride a bus to school?

Or did you walk? Who were your friends that you walked with every day? What did you do on the way?

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My Lime Green Schwin n. . .

On the day of my First Holy Communion, we had a big party. All the relatives and friends were invited to the celebration and ensuing feast. It was a big deal in the 1950s. As a surprise my parents had purchased for me a brand new, Lime Green Schwinn bicycle. It was my very first big girl bike. At 7 years old, my feet barely managed the foot peddles and I took many spills but nothing could mar the thrill of seeing that bike for the first time. It was mine!

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SHARE YOUR STORY & LEAVE YOUR LEGACYŠ

What was one of the happiest, or the happiest day you can remember? Take time on this to recall the details of the event not merely the event.

Time of year? How old were you? Where were you? Who was with you? Did others share in the joy? What did you learn? What about the experience do you want others to remember about that time and you?

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Frazho Road. . .

I grew up on Frazho Road, a gravel road, lined with lower-middle class homes and filled with blue collar working families. My house, built by my father, was unremarkable and small. My siblings and I shared a hot, attic bedroom. The septic tank was buried near my parent’s bedroom and sometimes it bubbled up. My mother’s favorite yellow rose bush thrived as it sat atop the septic bubbles. We did not have indoor plumbing until I was three. My father, a carpenter by trade, built a garage next to the house that served as his workshop. I never had my own bedroom as did many of my friends. My sister and I shared a room. That was fine with me because most nights I was terrified of something or other.

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SHARE YOUR STORY & LEAVE YOUR LEGACY©

Where did you grow up? State? City? Street?

Were you born at home or in a hospital?

Talk about your siblings as young children. Describe your house, room by room.

Your bedroom. Did you share a room with a sibling? How was your house heated?

What was meal time like? Did your friends come over? Did you play outside?

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Dear. . .

As a young girl, I remember writing to a Great-Aunt of mine. I cannot recall how the letter writing started or when it stopped, but I remember the thrill of getting her letters in the mail. I wrote about my little-girl things, school, clothes, and dolls. My Great-Aunt always wrote back, commenting on each of my subjects with great interest. In one of my letters, I enclosed a nickel. It was a gift for my Aunt. She returned it in her next letter and told me to spend it on myself. I did.

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SHARE YOUR STORY & LEAVE YOUR LEGACYŠ

Write a letter to a Grandchild. In this letter tell them what you remember about being the age they are now.

Be specific. The times. Popular movies you remember seeing. Music. Dancing.

Clothing. Dates. Vehicles. What did things cost then as compared to now? Do not email or text this. Trust me on this one. Paper will get saved and will hold more value to your Grandchild.

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T

his list is not exhaustive certainly, but will give you some ideas

which will give you more ideas. Remember, this can be for your eyes only right now, but I am certain once you get the memories running, more will come and so will your resolve to share who you are.

There is no one like you. Share Your Story, and Leave Your Legacy©. The world will never see another you. I am happy to share more with you, to answer questions and to help you on your journey of Leaving a Legacy.

Additional copies of The Share Your Story and Leave Your Legacy Primer© are available for purchase. Please see contact information.

Christine Pechacek Harrison, Michigan 48625 Ph: 989-915-1229 Share Your Story Leave Your Legacy© Christineauthor9@gmail.com www.sharestorymemories.com

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Share Your Story Leave Your LegacyŠ

Christine Pechacek Harrison, Michigan 48625 Ph: 989-915-1229 Christineauthor9@gmail.com www.sharestorymemories.com