Remember

To me, there is no reason to forget. It's good to remember everyone who has come (and gone) in your life. It's also good to remember why it is you do (and start) the things in your life.

Memories are what shapes us to what we are today. There is no memory worth forgetting. The good and the bad shape us.

Cherish all the memories you hold.

Many years ago (12 years) today my grandmother passed away. Even though years have passed I have never forgotten her. We honor her yearly in one way or another usually with the release of balloons. This year we are going to release balloons (blue to honor colon cancer, which she died of). And a few special ones :)

My grandmother was also a crafter. I can remember making things with her and my mother. My crocheted inspirations have roots into my family. My grandma, my mother, my aunts and great aunts.

After our balloons were released my family and I walked through a beautiful graveyard in our town. We honored the veterans at the memorials and reminisced about our own loved ones who are gone.

For me the walk in the cemetery had another meaning. When my grandma was alive, on the weekends I spent with her and grandpa, we would go to families graves and leave flowers. Since she passed away I have tried to find the family graves, but sadly she really was the only one who knew them all.

I hold dearly all my memories and promise to not forget those who are gone.

I thank my family for being with me today and enjoying the walk while we remembered and honored my grandma and the others.

The pictures show our balloons traveling to the sky, our rolled up notes we tied to the strings, and a few of the tombstones we saw today.

Take time to remember, even the littlest of things, everyday.

Quote: "You can shed tears that she is gone,
or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back,
or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see her,
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her only that she is gone,
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back.
Or you can do what she'd want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on."
--David Harkins


Addition: RIP John Stencel
I just found out that a high school friend passed away. Even if he was just a friend then and we drifted away from each other, I have my memories to hang on to.