In light of recent events, you can't help but think about the security of our own lives, and the idea of mortality sinks in even deeper. As a mom, it is hard not to become emotional thinking about losing a child or something happening to me, leaving my children behind. We cannot walk through this life thinking this is how it is and how it always will be, life comes and goes and it is about how you live it. Will you be remembered for the good that you have done? Will you be remembered for the changes you made in other peoples lives? Or will you be remembered for things other than good? I am not writing this to put a cloud over your day, but to inspire you to contemplate your life and the fragility of it. To wake up and do what you can to inspire others and leave a legacy of only the best of things and memories behind for your friends, your family, and your children.
I am going to start simple. About 6 months ago I was looking through some magazines and realizing that I wanted to keep some of the recipes, and some of the tips pages, but not the whole magazine. I remembered about how back in jr. high and high school I would make scrapbooks with my friends by cutting out dresses in magazines that we wanted and pictures of women we wanted to be like and pasting them into a journal. So I took this idea and started making my own scrapbook of the magazine clippings, recipes, and ideas that I like. This activity lead to an idea of putting together a scrapbook for my kids containing family recipes, advice, and all the information you want to leave behind for your kids, heaven forbid you are unable to teach it to them yourself.
Not only is this a great way to ensure that your kids will know you and remember you and remember your heart, but it is also a wonderful way to start a tradition for your family. What I would't give to see a book like this from my grandmother to my mother, or to have one from my mom.
How to start:
It doesn't have to be fancy. I am not a "scrapbooker" by any means according to today's standards. I cut magazines and glue them into a journal. I don't get fancy papers or take an hour to arrange each page, not that that is bad, I just don't have the patience for it. If that is what you can do, that is wonderful! Remember this is something to be passed down throughout the years, so make it good!
1. Ideas. Start making a list of the things you wish to pass down. Some examples: advice, recipes, stories you want them to know, your own life lessons, how you met your true love, the day they were born, crafts, how to change the oil in your car (if you are handy like that), gardening, your wishes for them in their lives, how to be money saavy, your favorite websites, how to bargain, the list is limitless.
2. Once you have begun your brainstorming process, now you can begin to organize them (if you want to, I like both organized and random ways of putting things together). Decide if you want to just get a regular journal and write and/or cut and paste into it. If you do it this way, it is a little more permanent than getting a special scrapbook or a binder that allows for moving pages around. Arrange your thoughts into categories (as listed above).
3. Gather your tools: journal, paper, glue, magazines, pens, markers, crayons, what-have-you.
4. Go.
This is an ongoing project because you will of course have things come up in life that you will want to add to the book, so keep that in mind as you are working.
I decided not to put up photos just yet, because I want you to dream up your own book to pass down. Make it personal, because it is!!! Most of all - have fun!
Life is uncertain. Truly LIVE your life and you will be remembered.
