We die three deaths.
One when the body dies.
One when the spirit dies.
The last death comes when no one remembers us.
I like to think that the legacy family histories and memoirs created today are a type of memorial that preserves someone’s life. “Save Your Life Now!” is a personal history joke that holds some truth. How many generations does a memory of a person last? Only as long as the stories bring that person to life. Memory is a beautiful keeper and story-tellers are to be treasured. A book by or about a living person is only part of the truth, but can reveal much to those who care, and to those who seek wisdom from the past. Recently a lady I know in her 80s discovered her mother’s diary, dated 1916. The teenager was sixteen then. My friend has spent many hours chuckling over a side to her mother which she never knew, and wondering why her aged mother, nothing like the self shown as a teenager in the diary, kept it with her, readily accessible. My friend has found a gem, a memento that serves as a memorial.
This is the first in a series about Memory & Memorials that will come on Tuesdays. Please email or comment your thoughts and photos about memorials. Next week we look at the purpose of memorials and some history. Enjoy making memories!
Deborah Wilbrink
