This week, seven years ago...my dad passed away.

We all knew it was coming, but no one ever really expects it.
And no one is ever ready.

But like it or not, life and time moved on.
And seven years later, I'm still missing him every damn day.

But something that no one really prepares you for is how it's not just the BIG memories that start turning fuzzy, but all the tiny little details that make a person... well, them.

The sound of their voice.
The shape of their smile.
The way they move through the world.
And the hundreds of thousands of teeny-tiny things about them, making them who they are.

I can't stop time from fraying the edges of my memory, but I don't have to lose it ALL.

So I rely on tangible things to help me remember.

Like the decades of photos of my dad, and of us together... even the awkward & embarrassing ones are like TREASURE to me now.

And the many, many birthday cards I've saved over the years... filled with heartfelt phrasings and misspellings, and always handwritten in ALL CAPS.

I've got a memory box filled with these little pieces I never want to forget. And computer hard drives filled with digital stuff I don't have space for.

These are souvenirs of my life, acting as a portal to the past.

Because looking at them, and holding them... all of a sudden, the past isn't quite so fuzzy anymore.

I'm hearing his voice as I read his handwritten words.
I'm remembering his laugh when I look at each photo.
And the tiniest of details come flooding back into focus, even if just for a moment.
It's something.
And everything to me.

**So here is my BIG ADVICE to anyone who loves anyone else:**

1. Get IN the photos. Your kid/partner/bff won't care if you're "having a bad hair day" or "want to lose 10 lbs first." They'll just want a picture of YOU.

2. HANDRWRITE something to them. Sign more than just your name on a card. Write "have a good day" on a napkin & stick it in their lunch. Write them an annual love letter. It doesn't matter what... just write something to them, in your own handwriting. Mistakes, misspellings and all.

And that's it. That's the big advice.

Because doing THESE TWO THINGS could change you & your loved ones' lives for the better, even if you don't realize it YET.

So YES... keep creating the memories. But create tangible reminders along the way, too. Little souvenirs to help jog your memory, or to help them remember.

Trust me... it'll be worth it. Even if you're not there to see it, you'll still be there, with them.