Rethink what you leave behind
What do you consider your legacy to be passed on after you are gone? It is a very important question. Your first answer might be money, land, jewelry or stocks, but after reading “Our Museum of Us,” you might want to change your answer.
Having attended a few estate sales and been through relatives’ stuff that is left behind after they passed, it makes you wonder why did they hold on to this? That is part of leaving a legacy behind. “Stuff” and its meaning to you.
It is the things that really matter to you as an individual. It might just be a vase or some trinket from who knows where, but to you, it might be the most precious possession you own. You look at it and smile, and instantly you are transported to a memory.
This type of treasure, one that reminds you of things such as childhood memories, a person from the past, meeting your future mate, where you fell in love, a special trip or day. The type of things that you could not put a price tag on, having meaning with the story behind it.
Something that was way more precious than money, only now would go in the to be in the sold or garbage piles when that person is going through your “stuff” after you are gone.
That’s the premise of “Our Museum of Us” It is a “how to” book teaching about curating your family’s history and other “stuff” into the digital future. The book is an easy read and can help families through a troublesome time with the death of a parent, something that can, has and will split up families and siblings.
“Why are people attached to certain things, because they reflect the values of the family, persistence, survival, subsistence, reflected in that milk pot on the shelf,” Dr. Mark Standley, author of the book said.
“The big picture is mostly one generation to another. People pass away and at the end of life your children don’t want your stuff.” Photographs play a big part of everyone’s life and before the days of digital photos, people had a huge amount. Names and places get easily lost.
The book gives good advice on how to handle situations such as going through the relatives photographs with them, recording the process on an iPhone, asking about dates and people. Through that process, weeding out the good and bad, digitizing only the good photos saves a lot of time rather than scanning a lot of photographs.
The book has six distinct sections. One is a story of a fictional storage unit owner, Mario that creates questions for us readers to think about the “stuff” in your life. Although fictional, it is based on many situations and real life interviews. There are blank pages to collect your notes and links for further research. This is like a diary of your efforts, that can be kept as your “stuff.”
Other sections include curating notes, a glossary, a ‘Book of Questions,’ to help create dialogue within families, and YouTube links including the “Our Museum of Us” videos.
The author, Dr. Mark Standley resides in Fischer, Texas, where he teaches a drone class, and also Alaska where he is the owner of a kayak and fishing business. He is the author of numerous books. His daughter Robin illustrated the book.
“The Museum of Us” is available at Amazon and highly recommended. It is a good blueprint on how to bring your “stuff” and family history into the digital age to be preserved for future generations. www.ourmuseumofus.com
The Wimberley Village Library will hold a Zoom presentation with Dr. Standley on “Our Museum of Us” on February 25 at 1:30 p.m.