Ashley Hunter
ECB Publishing, Inc.
The story of who we are, of our ancestors, grandparents and families is an incredibly important part of our own stories.
Knowing who came before us, the pioneers of our families, helps strengthen our own identity.
It is with future generations in mind that Arnetta L. Thornton has facilitated the “My Story” course at the Jefferson Senior Citizens Center.
“It's a part of genealogy,” Thornton explains, adding that the difference is that in genealogy, you tend to search for information related to your ancestors. Her course, in comparison, works backwards.
“This is different. In this, you only record what you know.”
Instead of researching their ancestors, the course encourages participants to write their own story for future generations to cherish and keep.
Thornton says that the program encourages participants to only write about their parents and grandparents, or those they remember during their childhood.
“You mention them and what you know about them, but the whole emphasis is on your own story,” she says. “You are recording your life.”
Within the workshop, Thornton says that participants will be writing down their life story and documenting their own personal history through three separate booklets, which her class provides.
The first booklet is titled The Early Years. It begins with the participants' earliest memories of “remembering their own existence,” as Thornton puts it. Whether that begins at age two or three, the booklet then continues onward through the kindergarten years.
That is where the second booklet, My School Days, takes over. The second booklet helps participants document their years as first grade students until the moment they graduate either from high school or college. Proms, classmates, classes, teachers, school clubs, childhood adventures and the rest of their lives as students and budding adults are all recorded in this booklet.
The third booklet is titled The Young Adult Years. In this one, participants document from the time they finish school and begin working or building a career to later in life as they get married and begin the journey of parenthood. In this third booklet, participants record their time as community members, parents, husbands or wives while speaking of the changing world they are surrounded by.
The final booklet, The Miracle of Aging, records retirement and time as grandparents, leading up to where they are when they fill out the four booklets.
The booklets, Thornton says, are fairly easy to complete.
“You document everything by filling out questions. By answering the questions, you are documenting your life.”
The booklets are completed like a group study, with the participants meeting together with Thornton and going over what they wrote and what future questions to write about.
The group class setting, Thornton says, has been very beneficial in allowing participants to interact and share their stories with each other, sometimes leading to inspiration for other participants.
“The thing that's helpful about being in a class is that one person will bring up something that you've already forgotten about,” Thornton adds. “Interaction is what makes the classes interesting.”
The class goes on until the fourth booklet is finished, with Thornton saying it usually takes a couple of months to complete and after the four books have been filled out, the participants bring it home with them to keep and cherish.
“The main purpose is to give it to one of your children, that they would pass it down to their children and that this becomes a document that should be passed down through the generations so they know about you as a person,” says Thornton. “It's for your descendants.”
It's really not about genealogy, but it is about preserving the personal history of your family through your own experiences and memories.
“You are documenting your life,” adds Thornton, and through that documentation, you are preserving history for your family to keep and cherish.
The last set of classes recently came to an end, and Thornton says she is looking to begin booking the next session.
This free class needs participants to engage in it, with Thornton expecting that it should begin either in late February or early March.
Those interested in the class or wanting to know more details are encouraged to call the Jefferson Senior Citizens Center Activities Director Annie McDuffie at (850) 342-0242 ext. 231. McDuffie can also be emailed at oaajefferson@ aaanfleads.org.
Thornton says early enrollment is necessary, so that she and the senior center staff have an idea on how many people will be participating. You do not need to be a former or current client of the senior center in order to become involved with this class.
The Jefferson Senior Citizens Center is located at 1155 N. Jefferson St., in Monticello.
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