As keeper of memories, it is our responsibility to ensure that our children don’t forget their family stories and where they came from. We continuously take photos and videos to remember precious moments and hold them close in our heart. But let’s consider this thought for a moment.
Did you know memories are engraved in our DNA as well as a form of recall? It is triggered by events in our environment and what we feel from the triggered experience is a form of recall from our past experience.
Interesting isn’t it? But how often do we even take notice of these little cues? Never!
For all of us, memories are treasured gifts, like a heirlooms, family recipes, even traditions, cultures and values are. These are what we keeper of memories hold onto tightly. Why? Because they show us evidence of our existence. They show us who we are and not what the world shapes us up to be.
In this blog post, I’ll show you that, as a keeper of memories, it is important to know your family stories. And why passing them onto the next generation can make a difference in how we shape our future world.
Are you ready to see a bigger picture in your story?
The Keeper of Memories Checklist
Let’s for a moment consider why we keep our precious memories. Whether it is a photo or video or a family heirloom, we want to remember what we felt in that moment. And make it last forever.
It is when we feel mostly alive, do we keep those memories in our hearts. Photos or videos or whatever else are triggers to our senses, they ignite our sensation to show us what we most often forget. What it feels like to be alive! Here are some common emotional triggers:
- Smells or aromas
- Ambience or atmosphere
- Photo albums or videos
- Music
- Stories
So often in life, we get stuck in a cycle of the day to day activities of work, school and outside entertainment. As a keeper of memories myself, I’ve set aside time to create memories so my children can remember how much they are loved.
What memories am I keeping for them?
My memories of how proud I am seeing them grow and achieving their potential. We often forget to show them how much they bring meaning to our lives and in turn forget how special they are.
The Story Within Us
I come from a linage of sewers. It begins with my great grandmother who according to my mum could thread a needle in her eighties. She sewed her own kebaya which is a long sleeve tunic with beautiful embroidery worn by people in Malaysia, Indonesia and other Asian people. Or they use a fabric which is called batik as shown in the photo below.
My mum learned a little sewing from her mother then took up a sewing class. Both my mum’s sisters too sewed. I have fond memories of my mum sewing me dresses and these days she guides me to sew my daughter dresses.
Recently my daughter has expressed her interest to learn sewing. This is great as you can see we are a family of sewers. The gift of sewing has been passed to the next generation by my ancestors, a talent being kept within our family.
My mum passed on her zipper snap on presser foot to me ever since I started sewing. I have been using it to sew all things with zippers. Only recently, mum told me it belonged to my grandmother, it has become a precious heirloom I keep.
Imagine that, when my daughter sews her dresses, she’ll be using the zipper snap footer which my grandmother used. This to me is a beautiful story I can share with my daughter as I teach her to sew quilts.
What stories will you pass onto your children?
The Past and Future are Connected to the Present
Have you ever realized the choices you make now involves what happened either in your past or what you perceived about your future?
I see it all the time, people who start a family tree wanting to know more about the people who came before them. They research to find the names, year of birth or marriage, their status and much more. But .. do you know their story? Family stories are important because they hold the key to helping us move forward.
Do you remember the day you were born?
Or how you were growing up?
What did you love to do?
The answers to these questions are held by our parents because we were too young to remember. And unless we ask them these questions, or they share it with us, many of us will never know much about our childhood growing years. Parents who are keeper of memories will know how much the value of these insights will have on our children. I believe that passing on these memories can make a difference.
Has any of your aunts or cousins ever asked you for photos or a memory from photos? Remember to give it to them because it will make a huge difference to them when you present them with a memory that meant the world to them.
After all, without those memories, how can appreciate where we came from and find the courage to continue to move forward.
Do you consider yourself a keeper of memories? It is an extremely noble profession one that can bring a smile to the elderly or even help remember what they forget.
After all, what we have gained in terms of experiences are but memories of a time when we all felt alive.
