Preserving Memories for Future Generations

As Mother's Day approaches I am reminded how important it is to preserve our memories for future generations.  Seeing all the photos of moms in friends' Facebook profiles has brightened my week.  I have spent the morning looking for photos of my mom for my own profile.  I lost my parents eight years ago and I long for information about their past.  I have so many photos and mementos that I don't know all the details of.  Some of which I know nothing; especially those of my grandparents.

It is said a picture is worth a thousand words but whose words are they and are they the right ones?  I urge everyone, no matter what age, to interview their parents, grandparents or aunts, uncles and cousins.  Even family friends can fill in some of the details.  Get out those old photos and ask them questions.  Using a photo-safe pencil write down on the back of each who, what, where, when and any personal thoughts or feelings.  For my own children I have been doing this for them whether through scrapbooks or simple notations on the backs of each photo.  My girls still love pulling out their baby albums every so often.

Gather up all the photos you have stashed around the house.  Use any container you have on hand.  Once they are in one place set aside some time each week to go through them.  A good time to do this is when you are sitting in front of the television.

Be sure to toss any photos that are blurry or you just don’t like.  Any duplicates should be tossed or given away.  If you simply can’t part with them, store them separately from the originals.  Label the container as duplicates to avoid confusion.  For those of you with children in school I recommend setting aside duplicates for them to use in school projects.

When you have all the photos you plan to keep, start sorting them into categories that make sense to you; for example by year, by occasion or by family member.  As you sort make as many notations on the back as you can.  Put any photos aside that you need to ask someone questions about.  Use photo safe boxes or scrapbooks for long term storage.

For all those digital photos that you haven't printed make sure they are backed up in some way.   A simple upload to a photo printing site is a quick way to ensure this.  Keep in mind that many sites will require you to place orders to keep your account open.  Also look for software that allows you to attach notes to each photo if you know you won't get around to printing them.  One of my favorite new things is the digital scrapbook.  They are easy, take up no space in the home and save on paper and ink.

If all of this seems overwhelming just keep thinking about the bond you will create from generation to generation.  Chip away at it a little bit at a time and enjoy the process.  Talking with family about the past is so precious to me now and I wish I started sooner.  That said, it is never too late to start.  I hope all you moms out there enjoy your special day this weekend.