Question: And finally: what would you say to those who are just thinking about recording their family stories—or perhaps even considering turning them into a book someday?

Writing is a soul-enriching act. And writing about your own family—for your children, your grandchildren, for future generations—is doubly, if not triply, so. Very often, when it comes to family history, one thing becomes crystal clear: if you don’t do it, no one will. No one but you will gather it, preserve it, write it down. And in that moment—realizing that you’ve saved your loved ones from oblivion—that’s worth more than anything.

So, my advice is: just begin, just dare. That’s how memory stays alive.