Making Memories with Carol

The older I get, the faster that time passes. How did it get to be July, when Christmas was just a few weeks ago?! I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way.

Because time seems to be passing so quickly, it’s making me think about how we remember all the events that take place in the course of a year. It used to be that many people had regular film cameras, or in the case of my Dad and my uncle, 8mm movie cameras (anyone else remember being blinded by the “Sun Gun” on every holiday?). Then along came video cameras – VHS and Beta. Then of course, the digital age arrived, along with cell phones. And Facebook. And Instagram, and well…it’s a long list of modern technology, social media and apps!

I was at an event recently where people were taking photos. I didn’t see a single regular camera; everyone was taking pictures on their cell phones. And likely posting to social media sites, when the event was over.

It used to bother me a bit to see cell phones being used to take pictures, but I’ve come to realize it’s just how we capture our memories now. And in this lovely land of technology, we can save them, edit them, and store them in “the cloud”. No more dusty boxes of fading photographs! We can even caption them on social media so that everyone will recognize friends and family members. No more trying to decipher faded handwriting on a photo and trying to decide if that really IS Aunt June.

The point here is, no matter how you capture your memories, be sure you get off your phones and other devices long enough to actually make some memories. We say this all the time because it’s true – Life is short. Make some great memories, capture and share in the ways that work for you. Above all, cherish your memories. They are what define you and your life.

Carol Kaczmarek
Chapter Development Director, NTHS
ckaczmarek@nths.org