1. Pictures. I love looking through pictures from growing up. If I can see enough pictures of those times, I can start to fade out the image of her in the last years before her death. She became so frail and different, I had completely forgotten how full of life she was until I went through photos.
2. Preserve memories. I put together a box of recipes my mom passed down to me for my sister-in-law. My mom never met her, but I know she would have wanted to give them to her and this gives my brother a way to remember my mom too.
3. Take some tokens. I was lucky enough to be given my mom's Kitchen Aide. It is a perfect reminder of her love of baking and I use it at least once a week, so I can feel like I'm cooking with my mom again.
4. Repurpose. My mom and I are not the same size. We aren't even the same shape. But, I took some of her clothes with the intention of making them into something else down the road. I have tried to wear some of them from time to time, but mostly I just look frumpy, and that's not a good way to honor her, so I am thinking of bags or sweater dresses for my daughter. I did donate some of her things too, and that felt like a good way to honor her too.
5. Throw a party. Last year on my mom's birthday I had a party just for my women friends. It was a lovely night with lots of wine and dessert. It was the perfect way to celebrate my mom's life, the life of women I love, and life in general. I fully anticipate making this a tradition!
Remembering my mom is something I do every day. Sometimes I do it purposefully, and other times it is just a memory lived out because of the way she raised me. I hope every day to honor her life by giving my own daughter memories to cherish for the rest of her life. I feel blessed to have had my mom on earth for as long as I did, and I constant let her death remind me that TODAY is the best day to start living a better life.
I love that you have her mixer. Also that you are taking on things she would have done like giving the recipes.
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