Pick one. Think back to that day.
What can you tell me about that day?
Chances are, if--today--you were to tell me about that day, you might say something like, "It was great." "It was a wonderful day." "It was exciting." "Very special."
But if I had been with you on that day, you would have a lot more to tell me! There would be details, emotions, sights, smells, nerves, what happened on the way there, what happened on the way home, what you were thinking, how someone else reacted, and more.
So what can we do about it?
Here are some things you can do to keep those memories alive and cherished, which in turn give us increased happiness and fulfillment!
- Take photos. There's absolutely nothing like seeing your beloved grandmother or an angel baby again, or your wedding day or your first day at a new job. That's what a photo does--it brings them back. Those events, those people, those times aren't lost when you have a photo.
- Write. The old adage "a picture is worth a thousand words" is mostly true, but without recorded details, your thousand words are quickly slipping away as the the actual memories literally fade a little every day. You don't have to be a writer. You just have to write. What do you remember? Who is in the photo? When and where was the photo taken? Why was it taken? What made it photo-worthy, meaningful, fun, special, interesting, hard, good, worth remembering? Write it down. I guarantee you won't remember all those things if you wait 10 years.
- Preserve the photos and their stories (the writing part). A box isn't where something this powerful belongs. Photos and memories need to be taken care of. I call it memory-keeping. Some people call it scrapbooking. Whatever that looks like to you, find a high-quality way to preserve these precious mementos of your life's journey. {Here are three excellent ways to do it.}
- Reflect. Share. Look through your memory-keeping, your photos and journals. Take some time to get centered. See where you've been and see how far you've come. Share your memories and life experiences with others. Children especially LOVE looking through scrapbooks and memory books of themselves, but be sure you do it as well. There are even therapeutic benefits!
{Get started preserving your photos and memories right here.}