Motivation Monday: Today Is the Yesterday of Tomorrow

You know how much time we spend trying to track down ancestors and figure out what motivated them? 

Tomorrow's genealogists will be asking the same questions about our generation! Today is the yesterday of tomorrow.

I consider myself the Chief Family Historian, chronicling what the family does each year--the memories of tomorrow. Sure, some relatives chuckle when out come the camera and tripod on Christmas or Thanksgiving for a group photo, but they're also glad to see everyone in the shot, pooches and kittens and all.

Every few months, I gather the best family photos taken on vacation and at get-togethers like birthdays and holidays, and upload them to create a photo book (my fave site is Shutterfly, but I've also used Snapfish and others). I include dates and at least first names; sometimes I show full names of everyone in at least one group shot. My hubby has gotten the bug as well, assembling photo books of special memories (such as a brotherly rafting trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon).

And I've written before about putting together a photo-heavy family calendar every year, with shots from the previous year plus photos of close friends and ancestors (on their birthdays for example). When we turn the page for a new month, we remember what we were doing last year at this time, see the faces of loved ones, and smile at the occasional surprise such as a high school photo I scan in just for fun.

Today will be yesterday by the time tomorrow arrives, and memories are short. Sure, being Chief Family Historian is work, but it's also pleasure. I'm making sure that the next generation will know about us and about the generations that came before. Quite motivating!