After my mom died, I saw an Instagram post that touched me deeply. Someone shared a picture of her mother with a caption that said something like this: “She’s been gone 17 years and I still think of her every day.”
This Instagram friend helped me understand that that there is no expiration date on missing someone we’ve known and loved our entire lives.
We lost my parents in 2019, but I still love talking about them. Perhaps you do too, no matter how long it’s been since your mom or dad (or both) died.
A Place to Remember
Not everyone has happy memories of their parents who have passed away. There’s no shame in that—life can be complicated, to say the least.
For those of us who do remember our parents or in-laws fondly, though, what if there was a place where we could share stories about them with other people who also have lost a parent? Not a grief site or a support group, but a place to reflect and remember together?
Maybe something about how your dad used to cut up the blocks of ice cream with a knife and serve it as rectangles on a plate. Or how your mom used to grab every new person who darkened the door of the church and invite them to Sunday dinner. Or that one thing your dad told you that repeats in your mind whenever you are facing a struggle or anxious event or don’t know what to do.
Gone But Not Forgotten
If this interests you, please check out @RememberingOurParents on Instagram. Built around follower stories, this space is for all of us who have parents and parents-in-laws who are gone but definitely not forgotten.
Here’s how the account bio explains it:
Our parents. We loved them. We miss them. We want others to know how much they meant to us.
That’s what this space is all about—remembering our parents.
By doing so, we honor their lives. We share their wisdom. And we encourage each other as we continue on without them.
How You Can Participate
If you’re on Instagram, follow the account. Encourage friends who also have lost parents to follow too. And, most importantly, please consider sharing a story of your own.
It’s super easy.
1. Answer a Question
First, answer ONE question from the following list in 200 words or less, using the appropriate title for your situation. (Click Story Prompts to download these questions in a printable PDF.)
• I really miss my mom whenever …
• My dad always used to say …
• I love this photo with my mom because …
• My mother-in-law was really good at …
• My dad taught me …
• An interesting detail about my mom’s life is …
• I think of my father-in-law whenever …
• One thing I appreciated about my dad was …
• One spiritual truth I learned from my mom was …
• A favorite memory of my dad is …
Don’t worry about how you “sound.” Write your answer from your heart, as if you were sharing it with a person sitting right next to you.
2. Find a Photo
Next, choose a favorite picture of you with your parent, at any point in your lives.
3. Submit Your Story
Finally, submit your story and photo by using this link: Story Submission Form
If you don’t have a Google account, you can email your story and photo to rememberingourparents@gmail.com. If you have any questions, feel free to ask via email as well.
Your parents’ lives mattered. Your memories of them matter too.
Let’s keep those memories alive as we remember our parents together.
♥ Lois