Ways to Capture a Memory
from the series: The Archive of Us
Not all memory lives in a journal.
Some of it lives in candles. In recipes. In playlists. In side-eyes and “remember when” glances.
Memory is not one-size-fits-all—and neither is how we share it.
There are infinite ways to honor what we remember.
This is not a to-do list.
This is a menu. Pick what nourishes you.
Story Spotlight: An Altar for My Grandmother
My grandmother was a master gardener. Her hands knew how to grow things—food, flowers, peace.
When she passed, I didn’t know how to hold everything she left behind. So I built an altar.It’s not fancy. Just a small space with her photo, her favorite rose-scented lotion, and the kind of coffee cup she used every morning. But the most important part? The plants. Always plants.
I keep fresh flowers when I can. Sometimes clippings from my own garden, other times just a little potted green I know she would’ve liked. Every time I water them, I feel like I’m watering our connection.
The altar became more than a memorial—it became a garden of memory. A living reminder that what she grew still grows through me.
Types of Memory-Keeping
Here are some ways to capture memories, whether you’re building an archive or simply want to hold on to something precious.
1. Written Memory
Journals, letters to ancestors, captioned photos, blogs
Memory prompts like:
“The first time I ever…”
“What they never knew about me was…”
2. Spoken Memory
Voice notes to yourself
Interviews with elders
Audio diaries or podcasts
Ancestral greetings (saying names aloud in ritual or daily life)
3. Visual Memory
Photo albums, Polaroid walls
Digital scrapbooks or moodboards
Story quilts, shadowboxes, paintings
4. Sensory & Ritual Memory
Altar-building
Cooking a family recipe and documenting the process
Scents: incense, perfumes, spices
Songs that summon a moment or person
5. Digital Memory
Memory folders in Google Drive or iCloud
Locked Instagram highlights
Web3 tools like Etherith that preserve stories on the blockchain
Zines, blogs, or newsletters
A Soft Invitation
Start with one memory. Choose one way to honor it. That’s enough.
Write it down. Whisper it over tea. Build it into something physical. Share it in the comments if it feels right.
And if you’ve already made an altar, scrapbook, or audio file—tell us what you included. What made it theirs?
Next Post:
Telling the Story, Not Just the Facts: How to Make Memory Feel Alive
Subscribe if you haven’t yet. These memories don’t keep themselves. But together? We can make sure they’re never lost.