How to make a memory last forever
If you have followed Music Monsters for a while, you will know all about our love letters! Throughout J & A’s first year, I wrote in a ‘New Baby’ journal every month. I used this to track their development and little things that made me smile. Photographs were taken, videos were recorded, and memories were stored. When I had completed this ‘first year’ book, I was conscious that I needed to continue keeping a record of all the little things that would be forgotten. That is where the idea of ‘Musical Love Letters’ was born.
Love Letter
I wrote J his first love letter for his first birthday. I wanted to capture the feelings I felt at this particular time, rather than just a checklist of his development. Here are the steps I followed to write a musical love letter that would be powerful enough to capture the moment to revsit in the future:
- I wrote down some of the things we had done in his first year. I noted the things he had loved, the things that had made us smile
- Then I talked about all of his favourite toys, books, games, foods and places – as well as the things he didn’t like
- Next, I spoke about the things he had learned, and the things that made us proud. Little quirks in his personality, funny anecdotes of things he had done, and habits he was developing as his character emerged
- I confided any worries I had at this time. Anything that made me feel unsettled, or that I wished I could do better for him
- I wrote about why I loved him so much, why he was such a special little boy, and everything I wished for him in the future
Musical Touches
Once the prose of this love letter was complete, I went back through and added reference to music that I associated with this time. I added:
- Lullabies I had sung
- Favourite nursery rhymes
- Songs from some of J’s favourite baby/toddler classes
- Top 40 songs that were popular at the time (even if I didn’t especially like these songs, I made note of anything we’d heard a lot of recently)
- Songs from J’s favourite TV programmes/YouTube videos
- Any other music that came to
mind, due to the lyrics/style/association
Stirring little pieces of our memories
Music is a powerful tool, able to tap into our subconscious, and stir little pieces of our memories. It’s able to unearth feelings, sensations, and even smells. Music triggers something in our minds that takes us back to place we had once buried, and brings our memories to life. It is the reason that some songs are just too painful to listen to. It is the reason that certain music can put a smile on our face, as we travel back to an earlier time. And it is the reason that people, places, and little joys can be brought back so strongly.
I added a couple of photographs and pictures that J had drawn recently, and placed the letter in a sealed envelope. I write a fresh love letter for each of our children every 6 months, with the hope of capturing as much of their childhood as I can. We have stuck to this with J&A, and I can’t wait to do this for our newest little one too.
This time is so fleeting, the months go so fast, and I know I cannot remember everything about their time as babies. Adding the additional dimension of music, I hope to be able to trigger more real memories as the years pass. I hope to be able to transport myself back to this time, that is so precious.
