I always think it is so important to keep the memories strong of the ones that have left us too soon.

We never know who is going to be with us tomorrow and who will become a memory.

When my mother-in-law passed, my boys were very young. My youngest was just 3 years old. I wondered how they would ever keep her in their hearts.

I made each child a memory book of her and filled it with her photos of them with her, although her time with them was so short, there were many stories and photos. I suppose a lot of those stories were mine, as they were too young to remember their own, but anything with them with her or about her, of the woman I knew, was shared. Some stories were not shared in their memory books but in our everyday lives.

Over the years, the stories shared about their grandma have become so known that sometimes, they questioned if they are stories that they remembered about her or if they are stories that my husband and I had shared.

I love hearing them talk about their grandma and about their sweet memories.

Recently, I went to a funeral of a young man, and I sat there amongst his friends and family thinking how crazy this life is. One day we see someone and then one night we go to bed to wake up the next day to learn that our time with that person has passed.

Our precious memories are all we are left with.

It made me realize how short our time together can be and how making those memories can help us be together long past their days on earth.

I encourage those that have lost their loved ones to share your stories. Share your stories with your friends, your children, with everyone even if they did not know your son or your mother, your faither and more.

In the past few years, I have met Goldstar mothers and fathers, (moms and dads that have lost their children while serving. I love when they share stories about their Marine, their Airman, their Soldier, their child. Sometimes, when stories are shared, we build such a connection. I have a Goldstar mom friend who’s son was a very good friend of my oldest son, when she shared stories about him, I felt such a connection and love for him and could see why my son as well as many other young men, felt so close to him.

If you lose someone close to you, share your memories.

Share your loved ones. Keep them alive in your hearts and in others’ hearts.

Share so much that even if we did not know them, we will feel like we did.

Forever keep their memory strong.