A legacy of memories

By Kate Lockyer
Fortitude Valley resident Meridith Lawrence has lived a full life and has been able to share her stories with her son thanks to a unique legacy storytelling service.
Reflecting on her childhood living in a mansion in New Farm, Ms Lawrence said: “The house on Mountford Road… taught me that resilience is found not in chandeliers or ballrooms, but in the love that survives life’s biggest tests.”
Her childhood home, complete with a ballroom, was a hub for family gatherings and parties, but her grandfather’s serious stroke forced the family to adjust to a new reality.
Ms Lawrence has been able to create a record of her life’s experiences through the services of Talking Stories, who conducted interviews and a photographic portraiture session.
Founder Sam Regi said Talking Stories came from two things: a professional realisation that in his work as a journalist, often only a fraction of recorded interviews see the light of day, with many subjects asking for copies of their interviews as keepsakes, and a deeply personal journey of his own.
He never knew his maternal grandfather, and his understanding of him was “pieced together through whispered anecdotes and larger-than-life tales”.
“When I finally started uncovering more about him, the reality surpassed my imagination. It made me realise how important it is to capture these stories – in their own voice, before they are lost,” Mr Regi said.
Ms Lawrence’s career is incredibly diverse – she has worked in conflict zones worldwide and held influential business positions.
“I’ve lived and worked in places where survival comes first. Here, we’re lucky to have space for community and shared stories,” she said.
Now, Ms Lawrence lives with her son in Fortitude Valley, finding solace in the familiar rhythms of the city.
“Returning to the Valley, I see how these places carry the memories and lives of everyone who’s ever called them home,” she said.
“Maybe that’s the message for my son, is not to wait until you get sick and to appreciate, you know, your loved ones.”
Mr Regi said the professionally recorded audio interviews and portrait photography make a great Christmas gift – an heirloom that gives the gift of memories.
“There’s something magical about hearing someone’s voice tell their own story,” he said.
Visit talkingstories.au for more.