"I grew up (begrudgingly) listening to my mother's stories of what it was like to grow up in Japan during WWII. As a child, I thought I'd die if I had to listen to her stories much longer. I cherish those stories today. One of the best things I did was audio record interviews with my mother before she died. Our family stories are so important because they shape so much of who we become. You don't realize it as much when you're young, but when you become an adult, you realize many of your beliefs and philosophies are a direct result of what shaped your own parents, grandparents and family members." - Tina Firesheets, instructor |