Ashley looks at old photos and videos quite often. Last night we were watching old videos, mostly of the family. We watched videos of me and Landon throwing football over the house. It was emotional watching his joy and excitement as he caught the ball and we celebrated together.
I was reminded of just how nice it is to remember.
And last weekend I attended my friend's 40th birthday party. I got to watch as he opened the gift from his parents. They wrapped four of his old Air Jordan shoe boxes. The boxes were filled with old baseball cards, toys, and other memorabilia from his youth. His parents spent $0 on this gift. But it is safe to say this gift meant the most to him. Because, for a brief moment, we all got to remember together. We got to remember the Cavs roster from the 1990s. Mark Price! We got to laugh about awkward romantic encounters. And we shared stories about his first job at Wendy's.
Remembering previous memories almost always makes me emotional. And I am not usually an emotional person. So it makes me pay attention. What is it about remembering? For one, it reminds us that everything is okay. It is so easy to get caught up in what is wrong with the world, relationship struggles, or what might happen in the future. Remembering the blessings from our past is such a nice antidote.
Remembering also helps me keep my priorities straight. It reminds me about the importance of relationships. Who I share my life with matters so much more than the things I accumulate. Laughing with my family and close friends is so much better than getting another job well done from coworkers. Conversations with loved ones are more important than so many of our goals. Our attention is best when aimed at the people around us.
Remembering also seems to highlight how temporary each moment is. I will never be throwing a football with my 6 year old son again. My friend will never be a teenager again. And, a few years from now, we will all look back and remember the moments we are currently living through. What will show up in our photos and videos? What will we look back and smile at? Who are we sharing each passing moment with?
It seems good to remember.
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