It’s better to ask questions now before the opportunity is gone forever.

When people die, their own unique story dies with them. It’s easy to assume these stories will live on in social media forever, but there’s no guarantee of that. While papyrus scrolls from thousands of years ago can still be read easily, today’s media changes often, making the media of today irrelevant tomorrow. If there’s something you want to know about someone, make time to ask them before they leave, and if it’s something you want to save, consider putting it on paper. 

Below are some sample questions to get you started. There are hundreds more you could ask, and many that will arise in the moment:

  • When and where were you born? What generation are you considered a part of? In what ways are you a product of your time?
  • Where were you raised? Who were you raised by? Who were you raised with? How did you fit into the overall family dynamic?
  • What socio-economic class did your family belong to, and what were their core beliefs about money?
  • How were household responsibilities divided up in your family? When you had your own home, did you divide these up in the same way or differently?
  • Did your family talk around the dinner table? What sorts of conversations would you have? Was everyone encouraged to participate?
  • Was learning encouraged in your family? Did you have access to books?
  • What social norms from your youth have faded away? Which would you revive if you could and which are you glad no longer exist?
  • What social group did you belong to in high school (the jocks, the theater kids, debate club, band, student government, etc.)?
  • What did you want to be when you were growing up? Did you show any aptitudes that pointed the way to a possible career?
  • What was your first job, how did you get it, and how much did you get paid?
  • What occupations did your high school peers consider the most desirable?
  • Did you raise a family of your own? What parts of your own upbringing did you carry over and which did you discard?
  • Where have you traveled to and where would you still like to visit?
  • How would you describe yourself, and how do you want to be remembered?
  • What do you think has been your greatest accomplishment or contribution?
  • If you could do it all again, what would you do differently?
  • What message would you like to impart to a descendant reading your life story 100 years from now?

Copyright 2023 Kesel Wilson (entirely, 100% human-created)

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