Celebrate Mom with a Mother Daughter Day
Women are great storytellers. Men are storytellers too, but not in the same way.
It's hard to put my finger on why; maybe it's our dedication to remembering our history of oppression and struggle since the beginning of time that makes us good storytellers. Maybe it's our passion for community, and gathering, and sharing. Maybe it's our ability to bring life into this world that makes us capable of carrying a story like a child, crafting and raising it up to inspire, encourage, and teach for itself.
Whatever it is, there's no doubt that women have proven to be master storytellers, finding anecdotes and humor in our everyday lives. As a woman, I know my family is filled with storytellers who weave tales so vivid of hardship, love, regret, and hope. These stories get passed down and deserve to be remembered, especially in a world that moves so frighteningly fast towards forgetting the peaceful healing sound of a woman telling a life story to her daughter at the kitchen table.
If you're a daughter, gather with your mother for a special Mother Daughter Day this Mother's Day. Listen to her talk about her favorite childhood memories, even if you've heard them a million times before. Ask her about her favorite Aunt, or wise and uplifting words her grandmother shared with her when she was at her messiest, lowest point in life.
Find those honest and breathtaking stories women tend to keep secret unless asked. Absorb them and wear them and keep them alive.
I love the idea of getting a personalized album made and working on it together with your mother and/or other women in your family to help preserve their story. Here's six meaningful ways you can document the women in your family.
If you and your mother or grandmother have family treasures around the house that cannot fit in an album such as personal accessories, quilts, or clothing, take pictures of them and print them out to be included in your heirloom photo album.
2. Then & Now Photographs
Display recent photos of your mother and other women next to photos of them when they were younger
3. Writings
Sometimes, letters, postcards, poetry, art, and journal entries get passed down from generation to generation. Find their work, or excerpts of their work, and include them in the pages of your album.
4. Recipes
Display family recipes by the women in your family next to their photograph, or photographs of family gatherings where the dish may have made an appearance.
5. Memories
Record your own memories of women in the family and place them next to a photo of you and the woman you are writing about.
6. Family Tree
Map out a family tree to see how everyone is related.
It's hard to put my finger on why; maybe it's our dedication to remembering our history of oppression and struggle since the beginning of time that makes us good storytellers. Maybe it's our passion for community, and gathering, and sharing. Maybe it's our ability to bring life into this world that makes us capable of carrying a story like a child, crafting and raising it up to inspire, encourage, and teach for itself.
Whatever it is, there's no doubt that women have proven to be master storytellers, finding anecdotes and humor in our everyday lives. As a woman, I know my family is filled with storytellers who weave tales so vivid of hardship, love, regret, and hope. These stories get passed down and deserve to be remembered, especially in a world that moves so frighteningly fast towards forgetting the peaceful healing sound of a woman telling a life story to her daughter at the kitchen table.
If you're a daughter, gather with your mother for a special Mother Daughter Day this Mother's Day. Listen to her talk about her favorite childhood memories, even if you've heard them a million times before. Ask her about her favorite Aunt, or wise and uplifting words her grandmother shared with her when she was at her messiest, lowest point in life.
Find those honest and breathtaking stories women tend to keep secret unless asked. Absorb them and wear them and keep them alive.
I love the idea of getting a personalized album made and working on it together with your mother and/or other women in your family to help preserve their story. Here's six meaningful ways you can document the women in your family.
If you and your mother or grandmother have family treasures around the house that cannot fit in an album such as personal accessories, quilts, or clothing, take pictures of them and print them out to be included in your heirloom photo album.
2. Then & Now Photographs
Display recent photos of your mother and other women next to photos of them when they were younger
3. Writings
Sometimes, letters, postcards, poetry, art, and journal entries get passed down from generation to generation. Find their work, or excerpts of their work, and include them in the pages of your album.
4. Recipes
Display family recipes by the women in your family next to their photograph, or photographs of family gatherings where the dish may have made an appearance.
5. Memories
Record your own memories of women in the family and place them next to a photo of you and the woman you are writing about.
6. Family Tree
Map out a family tree to see how everyone is related.
Apr 3rd 2015
