Stories of A Lifetime
Life lessons from the older generations
Living through COVID has brought new challenges all over the world, but I especially feel for our senior citizens who have missed out on such valued time with their families. My grandparents had such a positive influence on my life and I was lucky to spend so much time with them when I was a kid. My one regret is not asking them more questions when I had the chance. Though we’ve grown up in a much different world than our grandparents, there is still so much we can learn from them and their experiences. If you are unsure where to start, here are 20 questions to ask your grandparents, or any senior in your life.
Where did you grow up and what were some of your favorite childhood memories?
What did you do for fun as a kid?
Who is/was your best friend and how did you meet?
Did you enjoy school as a kid?
How did you meet your spouse?
How did becoming a parent change you?
If you could give your younger self a piece of advice what would it be?
What were some of the toughest moments for you? And how did you get through them?
What is your best tip for making the world a better place?
What is one thing you want people to remember about you?
What was your first job?
If you could go back and choose a new career for yourself, would you? What would you choose?
What is something you have always been good at?
What do you remember about your grandparents?
What is the most valuable lesson your parents taught you?
What is the best decision you have ever made?
What was (my parent) like growing up?
Did you have any passion or hobby growing up?
How did you decide your career path?
Are you optimistic about the future?
Technology and social norms have changed dramatically over the last 50 years but we still have the same struggles and the same dreams as our elders once did too. Whatever it is, others have gone through similar experiences that you can learn from. I hope these questions for your grandparents can bring you closer to them, teach you something new, and even change your perspective on life.
