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Gifts can be more than material goods, they can be love incarnate…

As Mother’s Day, Father’s day, Graduation and Wedding Season approaches, I am frequently asked about the moral quandary we find ourselves in regards to gift-giving.

In many ways, disconnected ways, our society has become far too dependent upon giving material objects to show the level of one’s caring. But what if you don’t want to to feed into this frenzy or simply the person you wish to honor has ‘everything.’

This is why I helped in the development of “Cherished Memories: The Story of My Life” While the binder is a physical product, the point of it has very little to do with the object itself, but rather the gift of love that you can create.

A gift of memories. The binder helps you organize all the important, life-changing memories of your loved one into a beautiful place, ready to be shared.

You don’t even have to buy the product, you can create a ‘Memory Book’ of your own. What is important is to take the time to get to know your loved one’s story. T0 compile it in one place. And to share your love with them, connecting over shared and new memories.

This is especially important to out elders. I know I have hard enough time remembering my high school graduation, but as our parents age, many of their memories fade as well. Now is the time to capture as much as you can.

Each year, you can add to this gift, filling the book with fresh, new events or even interviewing people long thought lost to time to give an even fuller accounting of your loved one’s life.

So instead of (or in addition to) those roses, neck ties, gift certificates, and toasters, consider a gift from one heart to another.

“Cherished Memories: The Story of My Life” is available through this link …. http://bit.ly/dtlAnA

3 COMMENTS

Pam Kelly says:

April 19, 2010 at 11:41 pm

I’ve been putting my mother’s life story into “Cherished Memories” and have learned things about her I never knew – which have made her come to life for me in many wonderful ways. No longer is she only my “mother.” Even though she’s 3000 miles away, on the phone, as she answers the questions and reveals details about her life, she feels only a heart beat away. My mom has become my best friend.

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Barb Ashcroft says:

May 26, 2010 at 5:40 pm

Dorothy I have just completed a tribute to our daughter who turns 40 this Friday…it was a way, even though she’s an adult and an educator …to express the specialness of who she is and her life to date.
I love your post as this is TOTALLY what I am all about. I teach Life Story (in person and online) so no story will go untold. I was able to create and publish with http://www.RecallWhen.com three legs of our family story and create a Personalized Deck of Cards that shows all the family and ancestors. A fun way for the young to get to know their family.
Our daughter created a program at the high school where she teaches…an outreach program where the Gr 11’s meet with local Senior Citizens . It is an interview process (both ways)…the end result is a book about the Senior as a gift. But surprisingly the seniors appreciate the teenagers more too. I like to get the younger generations involved in interviewing and doing the online process of book building. It is all about BUILDING CONNECTIONS between generations and telling the story.
With http://www.RecallWhen.com (one of Oprah’s all Time 10 Most Favourite Gifts 2008-2009 Heritage Makers) it is webbased so multiiple family members can build it from different locations all at the same time.
Let’s all keep telling and recording the story.
Thanks.
Barb

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Janet Barclay says:

June 1, 2010 at 8:28 pm

That is a beautiful idea, Dorothy. My husband had some of his parents’ old slides printed up and assembled photo albums for them. His mother’s memory is starting to fail, yet she thoroughly enjoys looking at those old photos, and they help her to remember those happy days gone by.

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