The story of one’s family is a legacy that should be passed down from generation to generation. Each family’s heritage should be documented in great detail by a grandmother for her grandchild or grandchildren. It then serves as a keepsake so they can fully appreciate their background, culture, customs, and even the relatives that comprised their family from decades prior. Everyone deserves a deep understanding of their roots.

That is the reason I accepted the position from Abrams Publication to be the author of the journal Stories For My Grandchild. I am giving back to all grandmothers who write their personal life story for their grandchildren. And my darlings, how happy I am!

What Is Stories for My Grandchild?

Stories for My Grandchild is not just a book. It is a heartfelt journal, a legacy gift, and a loving invitation for grandmothers to share their life stories with the grandchildren they treasure. Within its pages, a grandmother can record her memories, family history, beliefs, traditions, and the moments that shaped her life. It becomes a deeply personal keepsake, one that allows a grandchild to know not only where they come from, but the woman whose love helped shape their story.

A Journal To Fill Out With Love

What makes this journal so special is that it is meant to be completed by you, dear grandmother, in your own beautiful voice. It is a place to reflect, remember, and write from the heart. Page by page, you are creating something no one else can give your grandchild, your perspective, your wisdom, your memories, and your love. In a world where so much is fleeting, this is a lasting treasure that can be held, reread, and cherished for generations.

A Spring Gift for Your Grandchild

And, my darlings, what a lovely gift this journal makes for Easter, Passover, Mother’s Day, or another spring holiday. Spring is a season of renewal, love, hope, and fresh beginnings, which makes it the perfect time to give a gift that is rich with meaning. Rather than offering something temporary, you can give your grandchild a part of your heart. There is something so moving about presenting a child with a journal you have thoughtfully filled out just for them.

Write to Your Grandchild Before You Gift It

That is part of the beauty of Stories for My Grandchild. You can begin writing in it now, take your time recalling the moments and messages that matter most, and complete it before gifting it to your grandchildren. Imagine the joy of placing into their hands a finished journal filled with your stories, your values, and your devotion. It is more than a present. It is a legacy. It is a way of saying, “This is who I am, this is where you come from, and this is how deeply you are loved.”

My Stories to My Grandchildren

I want to share three of my own stories that I wrote to my grandchildren. Choosing only three entries was no simple task because each one carries a memory, a lesson, or a feeling I have wanted to pass down to them with love. After much reflection, I decided to select the stories that speak to the greatest challenges I faced in my adult life, the moments that asked me to dig deep, stand tall, and find my courage.

These experiences were not always easy, but they shaped my spirit, strengthened my resolve, and taught me how to live with purpose and gratitude. I share them with my grandchildren not because life is meant to be perfect, but because it is meant to be lived fully, even through hardship. And through it all, one truth shines brightest in my heart: being their grandmother is one of the greatest honors and deepest joys of my life.

The Values of Your Family Tree

“Observing your relatives’ attributes is like looking into a magic mirror” -Honey Good

Dear grandchildren of mine,

Your family tree, otherwise known as a genealogical tree, is a diagram showing the relationships between several generations of your family. I want you to understand what your relatives stood for so you can carry yourself with pride based on your ancestry.

Your family tree has strong roots. Our family’s heritage stems from a group of trailblazers who left their homeland due to persecution and fled to America. They had strong family values and eventually brought all of their remaining family to the United States. Your ancestors were resilient, tenacious,and resourceful people. With no formal education and a lack of the English language, they found work and eventually triumphed. They were keen on education and religious faith and taught this to their children and their children taught their children.

Our ancestral family was charitable and gave back by volunteering and helping those they knew with less fortunate. They were loving and nurturing mothers, fathers, grandparents, great grandparents, aunts and uncles. Family always came first. They celebrated life; always grateful for their blessings. As I write this to you dear grandchildren, I am not being a Pollyanna, an excessively cheerful and optimistic grandmother. I am writing these words in stone for you to carry forward based on your family traditions, rooted values, and their unconditional drive  that  has provided you with a strong foundation for your future.

My Biggest Challenges

“Do not let the fear of the unknown engulf you. Embrace yourself. Dare to live” -Honey Good

You will be beset with challenges. Everyone is. You have the ability to overturn and overcome any challenge. I know because I have faced many of my own and have triumphed. In anticipation of the obstacles you will soon overcome, I leave you with this message: “When the going gets tough, you get tougher.” Be resilient. You will land on your feet a stronger and wiser you. You’ll be more self-confident and the experience, your teacher, will be a great lesson. Trust me, I know.

Reflections

“Take a big bite out of life” -Honey Good

I am so grateful to be your grandmother. You have all made me proud. These are my selections I want to pass down to you. Years ago, I never would have called myself a fierce woman. I had a hard time coming to terms with the word fierce, as I didn’t quite understand what the word meant. However, these days I live every waking moment embodying the fierce woman I am. The world is my runway and I carry myself with a beaming grin and unparalleled confidence, even if I’m doing something as simple as walking America down the street. My hope is that you embody that same level of self-assurance and take a big bite out of life.

I Am Fierce Because

There is something I hope you come to understand early in life: strength is not loud and it is not something you need to prove. It is something you feel. I have lived long enough to know that being fierce does not mean being hard. It means knowing who you are, standing steady when things are uncertain, and not shrinking to make others comfortable. People, friends, family, and others will sometimes ask that of you. – don’t agree.

There is a quiet joy in being able to rely on yourself; to walk into a room without needing approval from others, to make choices that are yours. That is the kind of fierceness worth owning. Be kind, but never small. Be open but never easily bent.

Dear Grandchildren

These qualities are rooted in my soul, passed down from generation to generation. You have incredible DNA. Use it. Envelope it. Treasure it and be grateful for your family tree, your heritage. You are just getting started on the incredible journey known as life and there’s so much ahead of you. I can’t wait to see you shine!

Never forget that I love you dearly,

Honey