Today is the 70th anniversary of “D-Day.” Anniversaries like this generate a lot of noise on the Internet, so I decided to go in a slightly different direction with my tribute.

My tribute today is to the memories of those who lived during those dark days of WW2. It is a generation of men and women that’s shrinking all too rapidly, and the sad truth is that many pass from this life with their stories still untold.

We all know someone – several people – from the WW2 era, and I can guarantee that they would love to share their memories over a cup of tea or a mug of coffee. All we have to do is to frame a few great questions, take the time, and then be willing to listen.

That’s the subject of my Wake Forest Today column this week, “Today is never too soon; tomorrow may not be soon enough”. Here are the first couple of paragraphs. Please click on the link, read the article, and then make a commitment to listen to someone in your family who has a story to share…

The other day, digging through some computer files, I ran across a set of family history interviews I started several years ago.
Essentially, I’m documenting the story of my parents. They were both children in England during WW2, living in and around London, so there’s a lot to tell. The history they guard is priceless, the lives they have lived rich and inspiring.
All family stories are precious, rare, and irreplaceable. People often tell me how much they regret failing to take the time to learn just a little more about their families before the windows of opportunity close for ever… (more…)

The purpose of these conversations may be history, but the by-product is always relationship. No matter how old your relatives are, and no matter how much time you think you have in hand, today is never too soon to start.

– Let me know how it goes – DEREK