Family

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A family memory journal is a fun, easy way to preserve
family memories. A couple of years ago I was sorting through
a pile of unused journals (many given to me as presents!) and
was trying to come up with a way to put them to good use.

One day after a family gathering, I sat down and wrote a short
description of the gathering in one of the unused journals. I
wrote where the gathering took place, the occasion we were
celebrating, the names of the people who had attended, and
anything about the day that had stood out in my memory. I did
this for the next couple of family get togethers and then just
stuck the journal in a drawer somewhere.

It didn't seem like that big of deal at the time, but probably a
year or more later I pulled out the journal again and looked at
the entries I had made. It was really fun reading them again. I
had already forgotten some of the things that had happened, or
thoughts that I had at the time that fortunately I had thought to
write down.

I've been really forgetful about writing in my family memory
journal, but in the past couple of years have probably
chronicled two or three family events a year. When you think
about it, 25 years from now, the journal will be full of family
memories.

Family journals are a great thing to pass down to your children
and grandchildren. At the time they don't really care about
what's going on, but some day they will appreciate being reminded
of some of their childhood memories.

In the past year or so I've really gotten into scrapbooking. I
was just thinking that my memory journal will be a great resource
for my scrapbooking projects. Sometimes it takes months to get
your photos ready and pages laid out. By that time you will
forget any memories you had to go along with them. If you have
your family memory journal, you can use it to add journaling to
your scrapbook pages, with your memory as clear as if you had
taken the pictures yesterday.

Don't let time pass you by and let those special family moments
get away from you. Sometimes an event as routine as "another
family birthday party" might make a great memory later in life.
Especially when older relatives start passing away, it's special
remembering the times they were involved in family get togethers.
Someday when you're that older person, your youngest family
members will enjoy reading about their great- and great-great
grandparents.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of
What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick
easy dinner ideas. For recipes, tips to organize your home, home
decorating, crafts, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at
http://www.creativehomemaking.com. To subscribe to their monthly
newsletter send a blank e-mail message to
[email protected].

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