My mom passed, how to save memories of her?

[Alicewang913]

My mother passed some time ago and while I am working through my grief, I've been trying to figure out what to do with all the digital memories of her. We have so many text messages, audio messages, and photos all over different apps like Whatsapp and iMessage, and there are so many good memories in them.

Everything feels really precious to me and I don't to lose anything so I can look back at them in the future. I'd like some advice from anyone with experience on how they saved or organized those digital memories? Thanks in advance for your help!

[Luminescense]

I'm sorry to hear of your loss =(

If you're able to copy/paste the chats, that's a good option, and to put it on the computer and save it to a USB drive if you'd like so if anything happens to your phone/computer then you still have it.

In WhatsApp, I know it'll allow you to export the chat and save it elsewhere after tapping on "settings" and then "more". It would be easier to save it this way.

You could compile them together in a PowerPoint format if you'd like or in a Word Document. Saving all of the files and then printing them out and putting them inside page protectors that would go into a three ring binder would be a great way to preserve these memories. You could get a 3 ring binder that allows you to decorate a page and slip it in the front for a personalized cover!

I hope I was able to give some good ideas 😃

[Ronni_W]

On 11/7/2022 at 11:48 PM, Alicewang913 said:

[...] I'd like some advice from anyone with experience on how they saved or organized those digital memories? Thanks in advance for your help!

Dear Alicewan913,

I am so sorry for your loss of your Mom.

I have been dealing with a similar, very practical/mundane issue of finding the physical space to save things that are still meaningful to me. As it happens, earlier today I ended up in a workshop about 'cloud computing' -- I'm totally paranoid about sending my personal and important stuff up into 'the cloud', but it might be a temporary solution for you for the time being, while you figure out a permanent solution.

What I learned in the workshop is that we can get 15GB of free online/Internet digital storage, through Google Drive. (You'll need a Gmail email account, but that's about it. I'd suggest to Google or YouTube, for further instructions, and also pros and cons.) Microsoft offers only 5GB of storage, but other than that, similar to Google. (Will need a Microsoft emaill, cos an @gmail won't work for Microsoft products cos they're competitors.)     Either of these options will ensure that your data won't get 'lost' if your personal computers or devices crash, get accidentally wiped out or physically breakdown.

For myself. I'm not using either of those two -- although, I will say that they do have their advantages.   I bought a high-capacity external hard-drive (if you can, get one that is 'solid state' -- it is a more-current technology, and more reliable/stable, than the old types of hard-drives, but still not 'fool-proof'), and then you can just back-up or "copy and paste" all of your files that you want, to it. (I'm not an IT person, as you can tell <lol>, but hopefully this'll help to give you some direction that you can further look into/explore.)

I don't know how to download/save WhatsApp and iMessage files...but, again, you can probably find that out through a Google or YouTube search.

Sorry for this being all "technical" and "practical" -- but I think that's what you're asking about (???)

Love and hugs, Ronni

[Miss my Mai]

Hi, I am new here but thought I would share what I do. My mom and I would write each other a lot, so I have this box with all her letters and cards from throughout the years. Every special occasion I get out one of her old cards and put it on my table with a photo of her and a candle.  I light a candle for her everyday with a picture of her.   I also made a folder on my desktop with pictures of her.