I’m a bird lover, so I don’t like the phrase, “kill two birds with one stone,” but we’ve all heard it and for all intents and purposes it translates to one word; efficiency. 

Telling your story in your own words and writing your own obituary is not only efficient but becomes an amazing gift for your loved ones. 

Although my mom never finished her story before she “got her wings”, what she did write was her account, exactly as she lived it. The stories from her childhood made me laugh and brought me to tears, as none of the stories I had ever heard before. It was exactly what I needed to soothe my aching heart.

I remember encouraging her to write her memories, and bought her a journal to get her started, but it overwhelmed her. Then the idea came to me; just take one decade at a time! This approach allowed her to slip back to her earliest memories and move forward from there. Not only did this organize the process, but it made it enjoyable rather than daunting.

Reminiscing can stir-up a gamut of emotions, so what you share is entirely up to you. 

Once you’re satisfied with your life story, your obituary practically writes itself. It’s a selectively scaled-down version of your story.