Making Memories: April’s Lightening Up Leads to May’s Play

Before finishing April altogether, I have to take a minute to discuss the section in last month’s chapter when Gretchen Rubin discussed “the importance of keeping happy memories vivid.” Anyone who’s known me long knows I’ve been the picture taker and album maker long before scrapbooking became popular (and so commercial). Much of my  problem with getting organized back in January was hampered by my boxes and boxes of happy memories–mine and several generations of my family’s and my husband’s.

I have rows of albums for most of my adulthood, ratcheting up after children and then grandchildren came alone. I also keep boxes (cute ones from the craft store) for the various branches of our families and for friends, my own childhood family and my husband’s, college days, teaching–anything that can be categorized.

I had a discussion with a twenty-something friend this week. She listens to playlists on Spotify and keeps picture on Facebook, unprinted. I still buy CDs. (I still have 45s.) Which way is right? Either, I suppose–as long as the shifting technologies don’t eat up all our memories.

I try to heed the warning in a favorite quote from Annie Dillard: “Memory is insubstantial. Things keep replacing it. Your batch of snapshots will both fix and ruin your memory. . . . You can’t remember anything from your trip except the wretched collection of snapshots.” Recently I’ve seen people (maybe even me) so intent on capturing the shot that they missed the moment.

As I move into May when we’re advised to “Be Serious about Play” (something I do naturally), I hope I maintain balance–making and capturing memories.