Dear Grandma,

There are things I never got to ask you.

While you were still around, I thought I had all the time in the world with you. I thought you would always be there with stories that would amuse and touch me for a lifetime.

But, reality struck, and I realized that the time we had together was not infinite. And when this finally hit me, I realized there were still tons of questions I wanted to ask you.

I wish I had asked you what you were like as a little girl. Not the stories you always told. I wanted to know what made you laugh so hard you couldn’t stop. What your parents were like when no one was around. What made you terrified?

Also, I wish I had asked what you were like when you were in love. The first kiss. The anticipation that happened before it. The moment you knew Grandpa was the person you would spend the rest of your life with.

I wish I had asked about all the parts you kept to yourself because no one thought to ask.

When It’s Too Late To Ask

Of course, it’s too late to ask any of these questions. And yet, you’re never really prepared for this when you’re grieving.

Surely, you expect to miss the person with your whole heart. You expect to miss their voice, their smile when you enter the room, their softest hand when they caressed your cheek. 

However, what you don’t expect is to miss the answers to the questions never asked. You don’t expect to grieve information.

Yet, many of us do – much later in the moments when we least expect it.

You’re flipping through photos, and your child suddenly asks, “What was grandma like?”. You can give them a feeling, share a few memories, and tell the most meaningful stories.

This is definitely not nothing. But, it’s not everything either.

Who Can You Still Ask?

Unfortunately, I cannot get the information I’m longing for directly from the source. I can maybe still ask a close relative or someone who remembers something I don’t.

The window is not always open forever. But sometimes it is still open now.

And the stories that matter most do not always announce themselves. They come out sideways, in the car, at the end of a long dinner, while washing dishes, when no one is trying too hard.

That is why we have to be ready to ask the next question.

Questions Worth Asking Now

Instead of yearning for the future, you can take action now. Here are some questions that can help you strike up a real conversation:

• What were you like at my age?
• What’s one story you wish people knew more?
• Who and what helped you shape into the person you are today?
• What’s something you’re really proud of, yet you’re quiet about?
• Is there a photo you wish someone would ask you about?

Save Their Words, Not Just The Photos

Hearing someone’s story directly from them is invaluable. The more detailed, the better. And, you’ll need a place where it can be secured for years to come.

My Peeps gives families a private place to keep those stories, photos, voice notes, and memories together. Not for an audience. Not for performance. Just for the people who will one day be grateful someone thought to ask.

So, don’t wait until it’s late – ask today.

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My Peeps is a private family memory and legacy platform. Learn more at themypeepsapp.com.

Ready to start? [Explore the Life Story Journal] and start capturing the stories that matter most.

Download on the App Store or Google Play Store today!