Want to know one of my secrets for Living a Life with Meaning? Making sure we have multiple ways to capture those precious memories. Having loved ones around us with dementia has really hit home about how easily those special moments in our mind can fade away, seemingly lost forever. But oh how a picture is worth a thousand words.

Those who know me well laugh about how I am constantly taking pictures. And one of my secrets is photographing the everyday moments so that I can capture that snapshot in time.  The big dress up photo opp celebrations are just as special, but you expect to get a picture of those, staged as they may be.

It’s the candid photos of the day to day chaos, the seemingly mundane chores, family dinners, pet messes, and nightly routines. It’s THOSE moments you will look back on with such fond memories because of the sum total of life that they represent.

One of my special projects every year is creating a photobook of our family life containing the pictures and details we never want to forget. I’ve also created photo books for our family members with memory issues who have trouble remembering things from 5 minutes ago, yet they see photos from yesteryear and can recall WITH A SMILE, every detail of who was in that picture, what they were doing and what that season of life was like.

Seeing a photo, much like smelling a sweet scent or hearing special music, takes us back to a moment in time and evokes the deep feelings and memories that make up a life well lived. That is why I take pictures of everything! Special events, everyday happenings – because together they tell the story of our lives.

I will continue to take pictures and create new ways to collect and showcase them so that we can always remember the meaningful moments of our lives with a smile.

How ‘bout you? How are you going to capture those memories to cherish forever?

June 16, 2020 Meaningful Moment

Tracey McLarney