September 2022
It was a reminder of the importance of encouraging families to share their stories across generations. As our favourite author, Anon., once said: “The most treasured heirlooms are the memories that we pass down to our children.”
By coincidence—if such there is—another visitor to our display reminded us why it is important to encourage people to make time now to record their family’s life stories. Margaret Ruddell is well known as an author, and for her interest in local history. She and other residents living near the old swimming hole have spent years maintaining the area. In one of our display photos, shown below, she appears beside the sign C/D MHAC installed at the site. Incidentally, she wrote the legend for the sign. The other photo was taken at the BRK event.
Swimming Hole sign July, 2015
BRK World Rivers Day displays Sept., 2022
What is Margaret Riddell’s special connection with memories? It’s not just because, years later, discussion is still taking place around upkeep of the swimming-hole area. Given our aging population and concern over the increasing incidence of dementia, her poem “Thief in the Light” reminds us how fragile memory can be. She wrote with sensitive insight:
It sneaks up undetected
A brazen thief in the bright light of day
It steals small to begin with: an expression
A small memory, a recognition.
The losses are inconsequential, barely noticed at first.
The thefts begin to accrue. Others begin to notice
The things that go missing—the recall of details of the past,
The words lost to the tip of the tongue,
The clarity of judgment….
[re-printed with permission of the author]
It’s not that everyone will experience memory loss, but it does highlight the importance of asking parents and grandparents about the past and recording life stories while memories are still keen. And, of course, while we still remember to do it.