Trip Down Memory Lane and a Challenge

For a while now I've been thinking about doing some scrapbook pages on a theme from my childhood: roller skating every Saturday with my best friend B. Yesterday I sent her an email asking her memories those times. My own memories are there but very general and hazy. Oh my gosh; I was so glad I asked her! She came up with so many little details that came back to me reading her email. It truly was a trip down memory lane.

I wanted to write this post to provide a challenge for all you readers out there. I want to challenge you to start keeping memories. At its most basic level, that's all "scrapbooking" is: just recording memories for yourself and others to enjoy. I can't tell you how much I wish that at the very least I had a few pictures of my friend and I skating. So much of my childhood is lost in the hazy fog of my brain. J comes into my office sometimes and shakes his head because I always have two or three scrapbooking projects laid out here and there. He doesn't really mind my obsession; he just doesn't really "get" it. But it is so important to me to preserve the memories; to at least give G a map to look back on to trigger the memories.

I'd like to challenge you to think about starting to "scrapbook". I hesitate to use that word because if you look at the current industry of scrapbooking, they will have you think you have to be very artistic in order to save your memories. Let me assure you that nothing is further from the truth. The reality is this: all you need is a simple album, some pictures (optional in some cases!) and a pen. Attach your pictures on the page and start recording the dates and memories attached to them. Start right now today; don't try to go back and do the past (of course, later you can do that, but don't let the past pile of pictures keep you from starting from here forward). Sure, you can get way more artistic with it. But don't wait for that day to start saving the memories. That's my challenge to you!