Memories Matter

I traveled to Nebraska over the weekend and am visiting my parents.  My dad has Alzheimer’s and lives in a memory care facility-my mom is a champ for caring for him for so long at home.  Mom is now ready to start sorting through what is in her home in preparation to downsize so we’re spending spring break hitting it hard in the basement storage area.  Last night we spent hours sorting through photographs.  It was hilarious as we filtered through the memories that leapt off the pages of the kodak branded paper.  Dad’s winning fish at a competition in Wisconsin.  His pet racoon-Sally-that he rescued when he was a teen.  Photos of our family at various ages and stages.  Lots of pictures of grandkids.  And beautiful collections of photos taken during my parents’ various work stints abroad.

The irony of my father’s lack of memories and all of the memories captured in those pages was not lost on me.  It was both beautiful and heartbreaking to recall so much joy and know this is lost for him.  I suppose it’s the responsibility of each of us to keep memories alive-especially the ones that matter most to us.  Whether through photos or written journals or passing down the memories through stories–memories matter.  They connect us to our past and inform our future. 

As you are going about your daily life, consider both what memories you are making for yourself and the ones you are leaving behind for others.  I am immensely grateful to have a deep well of joy filled memories from my life, so far, and I’m excited to create more.