Keeping the Memories

Today will be a day filled with a riot of reminiscing. I'm with my family in Virginia, "The Cooks" for our holiday celebration. This will be a few hours together with my mother, stepfather, aunts, uncles, and cousins. All of us together for a day. We really don't have any elderly left in the family, but the memories of the are abundant. This year I am going with the flow, but throughout the next year I am going to send some time capturing a piece of this family's story. It's too important to lose.

Most of the time is spent during our gatherings is for visiting, talking about our lives today, remembering the past, and what amazing memories they are. I love hearing Mom talk about growing up with 10 other siblings. When she gets together with all of the brothers and sisters it's like they speak a different language. They have code talk, and these key phrases are hilarious to them, but indecipherable to others. Sometimes they explain the story behind the phrase and it all makes sense then. This was a huge part of my childhood, and I wonder if the next generation of kids in our family will know any of the "Cookisms" because it doesn't really translate without the entire story told. I am thinking I'll capture these tales.

I know all families have their own allegory, and I see no better way to honor our elders than to acknowledge the importance of that history and record their narrative. Everyone should have the chance for future generations to hear their own "familyisms". It is so important that we collect memories that make us laugh, or smiles, or cry, or even take us back to that special moment. Let's commemorate!

Will you have some special time with your loved ones this season? I am sure remembering will be a part of the time sent with your loved ones. So rise to the challenge. Use these tools, make he memories last beyond this lifetime.

To converse and record with the person with memory loss...

http://storycorps.org/initiatives/mli/

For anyone...

http://nationaldayoflistening.org/participate