To Reminiscence

For some reason, I have always rather liked the word “reminiscence”. Who knows why. It doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue…and it’s certainly not easy to spell. You would thing with two silent “c’s” in it, it came from Latin or something. But it’s English. Who says English is Phonetic?

The definition is simple: indulge in enjoyable recollection of past events. Maybe that’s why I like the word. How many definitions use words like “indulge” and “enjoyable” and “past events”? It’s a happy thing to reminiscence. It’s a time to remember wonderful things of the past. Not all those terrible, heart breaking, angry moments we as sinners like to remember. No, no, no. Think enjoyable!

This word came to mind recently as I started thinking about things in my past, particularly pertaining to my family. Some things are memories of my own – others are stories that have been told to me. A lot of the people in the stories, Emry may never meet. Many, of course, have passed away. Others I have hardly seen in my life and it doesn’t seem likely she will see them in hers. With those thoughts in mind, I often think I need to write these things down.

I have always loved delving into my family history. I have pages and pages of family trees. If I had the time, I would investigate further and try to learn something of Ed’s side of the family. And while I love reading through lists and lists of names, laughing at some of them and imagining who these people were, I often wish I actually knew something real about them. I don’t have a lot of stories, just names and dates. It’s a little sad.

Which is why I’d like to leave more to my kids. I won’t them to know a little about the family one, two, three or even four generations back. Now I know they might not care. History and where they came from may mean very little to them, but maybe their kids may want to know. Someday when I have very little memory left, I may want to know! So, I think I shall write some things down. Not everything. And like all stories passed from generation to generation, not 100% accurately. But it will be something. And it will be enjoyable. As reminiscing is supposed to be.