Opening lines: Memories, precious memories

From the August 2009 issue of Canadian Living. Subscribe to Canadian Living today and never miss an issue!

I have countless almost crystal clear memories of my childhood, from Christmas celebrations to summer getaways. And at any moment I can easily recall special occasions spent with my children as they were growing up. What I don't have, however, is a clear picture in my head of my family before I came along. My mother took the courageous move of immigrating to Canada from England as a 21-year-old, settling first in Montreal, where she met my father, and then moving to Toronto where the newlyweds put down roots and started a family.

My mom was the youngest of 13 children, most of them much older, several of whom died before my mother was even born. Her father was in the military, stationed all over the world. In fact, only she and her closest sibling were born in England, the birthplace of my grandparents. My grandmother died when my mother was quite young and my grandfather passed away shortly after she immigrated to Canada. Mom's siblings were scattered across the globe, in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa. Needless to say, as a young mother raising four children in Aurora, Ont., she didn't have too many opportunities to see them.

In my adolescence I started thinking more and more about my mother's family, and was disturbed by the fact that I didn't have a strong sense of who they were. My mother often shared anecdotes from her earlier life, which I urged her to write down. There were her heartfelt recollections of being a young girl during the Second World War and being raised by two of her sisters, and her cherished memories of her father, whom she rarely saw because he was so often abroad. These became precious to me. These people, most of whom I never met, were my kinfolk – they were of my blood. But my mother never got around to committing her memories to paper. Yes, I've got sepia-tinted snapshots with notes scribbled on the back: a picture of my uncle with a princess, whom he taught at a riding academy in England; a photograph of my aunt and her husband, who played with a renowned big band in the 1930s and '40s. As much as I treasure these photographs, they're just pictures with notes. I so long for the full stories behind them. I want to "know" them as my mother did.

Think about the special stories you harbour in your heart, the parts of your life that you'd love your children and grandchildren to know. Is it time to write them down? If you need a push, look no further than Lisa Bendall's article "Writing the story of your life" which will help you get started on writing your own memoirs. Your family will love you for it!

Also in this issue, you'll find delicious, easy-to-make recipes for everyday entertaining, great black-and-white fashions – with tips to make them work for all seasons – and 16 terrific ideas for cheap summer fun. We also have a moving story about a butterfly garden that was inspired by a special little girl named Rachel. Reading this story will remind you why it's so important to capture those precious memories forever.

Now I'm off to buy a journal!
Until next time.

– Susan Antonacci
susan@canadianliving.com