CAPTURE YOUR MEMORIES IN A JAR
One of the things that alarms most new widows is the fear of forgetting. Nearly all of us are afraid that those precious memories will slip away from us into the recesses of our brain, never to be retrieved again. While that’s rarely what happens, we are able to summon up those warm recollections when we want to, nevertheless, the anxiety about losing them only adds to our distress. It doesn’t have to be that way.
This is a time of year that lends itself to reflection and remembering. It’s also a good time to begin curating those very precious memories in a way that’s accessible whenever you want them. I think I’ve come up with an easy way to do it. Right around the time my husband died, all kinds of posts and memes about saving memories throughout the year began popping up. It occurred to me then that I could do the same thing, but with a twist. Instead of recording my memories in real-time, as they happened, I could write them down as I remembered them.
Each time I poignant thought about my husband crossed my consciousness, I wrote it down. I then took that slip of paper and tucked it into a jar for safekeeping. In the beginning, I pulled out those slips of paper often in the beginning. I do it less often now. I don’t need to reach for them. I am comfortable in the knowledge that those memories are safe and sound in my jar on the kitchen shelf. Many days, it’s enough to be able to look at that jar and know what it contains. It always makes me smile, as I recall, generally, a love I shared with a wonderful man.
It’s really easy to create one for yourself. I used a really pretty jar that came with little blank cards from Kind Notes, but you could do something different. Find a jar that you fancy, maybe a Mason Jar, maybe an antique jar, just something that appeals to you. There are lots of ideas you can find on Pinterest Memory Jar Ideas. For the notes, you can use any kind of small piece of paper. I also liked the quilling strips that crafters use. The exact format doesn’t matter, so long as you like it.
So what do you say? How about giving yourself a gift to start off the next year with your memories intact? I’d love to hear what you think about this and see photos of what you create.
Have a very blessed Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I research all affiliates and am careful to select only those that I believe will serve my readers well, and I often have personal experience with them. I may earn a small commission from them to keep the Widowlution Online Magazine free to all subscribers if you use these links. You will not be charged extra, and you’ll keep the bills paid so I can keep writing. It’s a win for everyone, really. For my full affiliate policy, refer to the “Meet Mary Lee” page on this website.
© 2019 Widowlution, All rights reserved.
Comments