By Rachel Coleman
Will you be spending time with Dad this Father’s Day? Don’t let the day go by without capturing those living memories so you can have them forever.
“Do not trust your memory; it is a net full of holes; the most beautiful prizes slip through it.” So penned French author Georges Duhamel in 1919. We know our time here on earth is finite, and the memories we make with our families and loved ones is a precious gift. Spending time with Dad on Father’s Day is a reminder of that beautiful gift. Ask anyone whose father has passed away, anyone who has a difficult relationship with their father, or anyone whose circumstances make it difficult or unfeasible to be with their father on Father’s Day, and they will tell you how wonderful those experiences and memories are.
If you’re one of the lucky few who gets to spend time with Dad on his special day, don’t let those precious memories slip through a memory net full of holes by not preserving them. Here are a few ways to record Dad’s memories and his legacy for you and future generations. Consider trying some of them this Father’s Day while the opportunity still exists.
Trigger Dad’s Memories
Getting Dad to talk about his life may be as simple as sitting down next to him and asking him open-ended questions about his past: What chores did you have growing up? What were your mother and father like? When were you the happiest? When were you the saddest? What legacy do you hope to leave for your posterity? If you’re finding it hard to keep Dad talking, you’re running out of questions, or you just feel awkward doing anything too formal, try some of these ideas:
- Break out the family photo albums and start asking questions.
- Ask about family heirlooms around the house.
- Sing or listen to Dad’s favorite songs.
- Eat some of Dad’s favorite foods.
- Interview other guests who have memories with Dad.
It’s a good idea to capture these memories in Dad’s voice and in his own words. Here are a few ways to do that.
Capture Memories
It’s so simple these days to capture memories with the technology available to us. Before Dad gets talking, get your recording equipment ready. If you have a smart phone or a tablet, you already have all you need to make a video, take a photograph, or make an audio recording. Using the Family Tree app, you can save precious memories directly into FamilySearch. Even if you don’t have a smart phone, using pen and paper is still a great way to preserve family stories and memories. Try one of these ways to capture memories with Dad on his day:
- Make audio or video recordings of meaningful conversations
- Take pictures with Dad and you
- Take candid shots of Dad by himself and with others
- Jot down details about family photos
- Take notes of Dad’s memories as he talks about them
- Scan letters and old photographs, and record memories related to them
Preserve Memories
Robert Frost warned, “Nothing gold can stay.” Memories are fragile, fleeting things, and if not preserved, can be lost forever to the unrelenting passage of time. After capturing your priceless memories with Dad, make sure you preserve them for yourself and future generations. Preserving memories doesn’t have to be complicated. Use one of these ways to make sure the memories last for generations to come:
- Upload memories to the Memories gallery on FamilySearch. In this gallery, you can upload photos, stories, documents, and audio recordings.
- Post memories on social media.
- Transcribe an audio recording or write notes of a conversation in your journal.
- Make a backup or two of any digital files.
A Beautiful Prize
Remember, you are in the process of creating memories any time you are together. Many fathers have sacrificed a major portion of their energy to support their families, and what they probably want most on a day honoring them is to take a nap in a favorite chair. Well, that and to know their children are safe—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Don’t focus on making this day about giving the perfect gift for your father, setting up the perfect lighting for your video, or having Dad answer every question on your prepared questionnaire. Enjoy that beautiful prize—the gift of time with Dad—and capture your memories any way you can before they slip through that memory net forever.
