I do like little second-hand bookshops.
The type I can while away a few minutes, browsing the shelves, hoping to discover my next favourite story.
A few months ago I was surrounded by shelves of books, that on this occasion, looked a bit… boring.
Not quite my cup of tea.
The covers were worn, the titles uninspiring. Nothing jumped out at me.
Then, on a whim, I picked up a random book with a green cover. Green being my favourite colour.
It hadn’t been a bestseller. It didn’t have an eye-catching image on the front.
Was it worth reading?
My interest level was about to change….
At home, I flipped it open and discovered something incredible.
Notes scribbled in the margins
An inscription on the first page
A bookmark tucked inside from eighty-five years ago.
Suddenly, this book wasn’t just a book—it was a glimpse into someone’s life.
Who had owned it? What was their life like?
It reminded me that everything—even that which seems ordinary at first—has a story behind it.
I’m often contacted, when someone is ‘umming and ahing’ over a YourStory book.
Their sticking point being……
“What if my Mum/Dad feels they haven’t got anything exciting to write about from their life?!”
“Shall I still do it?”
And my little green book is a glaring example of YES, it is absolutely worth it.
Many a time
A Daughter
A Son
A grown-up Grandchild
Is more than pleasantly surprised at how meaningful and precious the collection of their loved one’s everyday stories are.
Once the memories start flowing and the photos are added, the end result is something deeply personal, beautiful and completely unique.
We don’t give enough credit to how extraordinary the ‘ordinary’ really is.
What are your examples of family stories that are seemingly ordinary but mean the world to you and your family?
Feel free to share them with me at hello@yourstory.co.uk.
And you can find out more about our YourStory books here.
Warm regards, Alyson.