Last year, I wrote a Mother’s Day post that highlighted some of the most important things I’ve learned from my mom. It’s one of my favorite posts, and if you haven’t read it (or want to revisit it), you can click here.

This year, I’d like to add two more important lessons that I’ve learned from my mom’s incredible example:

Cherish your memories

My mother has never been a daily journaler, but she has always made a point of writing during significant events. Every year, she writes on family birthdays, major holidays, during vacations, and so on. She chronicles the highs and lows of life, and frequently revisits her entries, both for reminder and reflection. She bought me my very first diary when I was a child, and I credit her influence not only for my daily journal, which is one of the most important elements of my life, but also for my dedication to this blog.

Mom has also been a huge collector of photographs, and-perhaps even more importantly-a huge organizer of photographs. Not only has she always made sure someone was taking pictures of important events and moments, but she unfailingly ensures that those visual memories are quickly and easily accessible. When we were young, every roll of film was promptly developed, and as technology moved forward, every memory card or cloud upload has been carefully inspected, with the best/most important images curated and assigned. Mom has shelves full of albums, so that if I suddenly want to see my fifth grade science fair project, for example, I know exactly where to look. She’s also embraced technology, with thematic digital photo frames and online collections. A few years ago, I had a small mention in a local newspaper, and Mom happily presented me with a laminated copy of the article, just in case I’d missed it (and of course, she had her own copy, which she hung on the refrigerator for two weeks before placing it in a scrapbook). My own collection of photographs is very important to me, and I’m glad that she helped me develop the right habits early in life.

Foster connections

As I mentioned in last year’s post, Mom has always encouraged togetherness. Being unable to get together during the pandemic hasn’t slowed her down at all when it comes to making sure we stay connected. She speaks to every member of our family on a daily basis, and if we haven’t talked to each other recently, she gives an update. This actually isn’t a new thing-Mom has always been the hub of our family communication, but it’s become even more noticeable, and appreciated, right now. And she hasn’t stopped with just family. She asks about, and shares, what’s going on with everyone’s friends and coworkers. She even contacts them directly to see how they’re doing. When I recently received a text from a friend saying, “It was so great to hear from your mom”, it really drove home how amazing she is. Her example continues to inspire me to be better about communicating with and supporting the people in my life.