Alzheimer’s runs in my family. At times my heart gets a little heavy with the worry that someday it may claim me, too. Even now, my memory fails me when I try to remember things from my childhood. There are a few glimpses of my past that come to mind, but it’s disheartening when I cannot remember simple things like the name of my friends from high school or what color my bike was. Those seem like things I should be able to recall with clarity. Sometimes I worry that my children won’t know much about my past because by the time they’re old enough to really care about my childhood, I will have forgotten it all. When I read Once Upon a Time: Discovering Our Forever After Story by Debbie Macomber, it inspired me to take a few moments to write down some things from my life. Since life is fleeting and we’re not guaranteed a tomorrow, it’s important that my children have access to their own stories even if I’m not here to physically tell them.
My first thought upon seeing this book cover was that it must be a romance. After all, doesn’t “Once Upon A Time” sound like the title of the ubiquitous fairy tale romance novel? Instead, this is a nonfiction piece that encourages the reader to record his/her personal story. Macomber is known for being able to spin a tale or two, but in this book she steers away from that comfort zone. She tells the story of her life and wants the reader to indulge in a little storytelling, too. Once Upon A Time really places an emphasis on God’s influence on our lives. Writing down these stories helps to highlight that influence. Sometimes I can’t see God’s work in my life until I look back. That hindsight is more of an “Aha moment” for me than anything. Macomber’s use of scripture in this book is appropriate and appreciated by me.
The beauty of the book is that it doesn’t really give the reader space to record thoughts in the book itself. You’ll have to purchase a journal or some other means of recording the story. A companion journal would be a lovely addition to this book. Many times I’ve prodded along through a journal for a few weeks before giving up. Once Upon A Time made me realize that I don’t need to record every single mundane moment in my life, unless that’s the type of story I want to leave behind. In some cases, that type of story is perfect. In others, the writer might want to embellish a bit more, or interject humor, wisdom, etc. It’s all in the hands of the writer. The book gave me food for thought, helped me to consider other ways of recording my past, and drove me to write down the experiences that I want my children to remember when I’m gone. Once Upon A Time is a basic guide to writing down those moments. I’d recommend this book for those readers who want to begin writing stories about their past but just aren’t sure where to start.
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