We record memories and keep memories often unconsciously on a daily basis. We know the stories behind the photos and the little things we keep, what they are about.
Why record memories?
Some memories may be meaningless to others, for example, you may take a photo of yourself with your friends sitting around a table. You look fondly at the picture, laugh to yourself and remember everything that happened that night. But, let’s say your grandson takes the same photo 40 years later. How do you think he will feel?
Now imagine the same photo, but with the caption: “Graduation at 22”. Not only will your grandchild laugh at what you’re wearing, but now they have context behind the picture. However, that doesn’t mean that every device you keep needs a novel of accompanying information. However, having a history of people and your relationship with them can turn something meaningless into something meaningful.
There are many reasons why people want to record memories. Share them with friends and family or pass them down through the generations. There are several ways to collect these stories. For example, interviewing and asking questions is a great way to inspire memories. Not only is collecting all your photos and memorabilia a good way to preserve those memories, but writing a biography of your life can also be invaluable. If you are interested in writing, I suggest you buy a cheap due date or a desk calendar and then start writing.
Collect memories
So what exactly should you collect? Well, we’ve compiled a short list of memorabilia that can be very useful in inspiring memories and stories, and if you’re ever asked to tell a whole life story, you might You have neglected them.
Photos and videos
Photos and videos are probably the most obvious visual cues for reminiscing. They literally capture the image of a person or event. A photo may be the most direct way to show what a person or thing looks like. However, this does not mean that the image alone tells the whole story or how to experience it. Like any other memento, the importance of a photo is subjective. Photos can also be preserved by placing them in an album.
Photo conservator Rachel Lacour Nissen shares insight into why she is so passionate about photography, as well as ideas for how to display photos:
In this age of social media and instant gratification, I think families are hungry for tangible experiences. There is magic in holding printed photos in your hands and passing them around the table. This is because analog photos provoke powerful emotional responses. Most families have hundreds of analog photos in their homes. These photos contain precious family memories. They are passports to a place called memory. We must try to save them from decay and loss.
Can you imagine never having the magical experience of discovering a box of family photos? It’s like finding buried treasure! I would like to guarantee that such experiences will not be missed in the future. Somehow, I can’t imagine sorting through old hard drives is as exciting as opening a shoebox full of old photos.
Memoirs and letters
Diaries and letters serve as powerful written cues to recall memories. Letters can reveal a lot, from sharing big news to revealing romantic relationships. Meanwhile, diaries are a personal way to record your thoughts and feelings, while they are still fresh, because it is often harder to remember our feelings about events after time has passed. Reading real life is much more exciting and enjoyable than any story. Anyone can make it. And that no matter who you are, every life, every true story, has a fascinating side, and that we all have a story to tell.
Newspaper clippings
Saving newspaper and magazine clippings of important stories is another great way to preserve memories. Many of us rely on cues to consolidate our memories. Therefore, recording important news is a good way to remember what we were doing at the time of the event or while reading the story.
souvenirs
The beauty of collecting memorabilia is that they can be anything. Keeping a box of items you’ve collected over the years will serve as a treasure for your grandchildren. It will probably cause nostalgia in your future as well.
