Issue 19: All the Feels With a Shoebox of Memories
Time does not stop… all we can do is fill these moments with long lasting, beautiful memories
Hey there!
Marissa here 🙋🏻♀️ With Mother’s Day just around the corner, we wanted to theme this week’s newsletter around memories, specifically a physical time capsule. This can simply be an old crusty photo album of pictures or a repurposed shoebox filled with photos and a camcorder that still magically operates after years of not being opened (much like the time capsule in Shoebox Memories, a short film I wrote and directed when my firstborn was just a toddler).
As a mother, I often worry about the possibility of leaving my two boys and the memories they’ll carry with them when I’m not physically there. I think with today’s digital realm of being able to take as many photos as we can, we may take for granted the intention and purpose behind the moments we capture. It doesn’t compare to what our generation has, which is the old crusty photo album of pictures or a repurposed shoebox filled with letters, photographs, ticket stubs, and whatever past memorabilia that can transport us back to our childhood.
After all…
Time does not stop… all we can do is fill these moments with long lasting, beautiful memories
Here’s to making the most with the time we have left.
Much love,
Marissa
WW Co-Creator
Shoebox Memories
Shoebox Memories is a short film I wrote and directed when my son was two years old. It is a heartfelt story about a young mother diagnosed with cancer, and to deal with the heartbreak of leaving her son, she created a time capsule to open when he’s older. It’s about the importance that we put into moments that turn them into loving memories that live on in those we leave behind.
There was a script-writing contest at the time, and the challenge was to incorporate a theme of either cancer or suicide into the script. These were morbid topics, I know, but are important topics of discussion.
As a young mom, I thought about how delicate our lives are relative to time, and a recurring thought I’ve always had is what would happen if I were to leave this earth suddenly and the sad thought of my son (now sons) growing up without a mother. These thoughts inspired me to write this short film with the intent to provoke the existential question of how we would live our lives if they were our last moments. As a parent, this will always go back to my two boys and how I’d want them to remember me, and my hope is that they know that I’m always with them.
You can watch the film for free here.
We hope this inspires you to make a Shoebox of Memories and make the most out of every waking moment with loved ones ☺️
💭Did you know…
The little boy in the film is my son Nolan when he was at the tender age of two? He is now nine years old 🥹 Where has the time gone?
Brian Muna (my husband) produced and was the Director of Photography of the film.
The main actress who plays the mother, Danielle Charisse, met with me 2-weeks before the film was shot and was given photos of Nolan, and she carried the photos with her as a way to “bond” before filming. She met Nolan on the day of and the two of them hit it off on set 🥰
Brian and I showed Nolan the short film when he was 7 years old and told him that the man in the beginning (Ed Malaca) sifting through the photos is him in 20 years. He was mind blown 😂
Creative Time Capsule Ideas
Physical Time Capsule: Shoebox of Memories
Whether you’re gathering mementos for your unborn child or collecting keepsakes to give to your kid when they’re 18, keeping a shoebox of memories serves as a creative time capsule. Here’s a list of items you can add:
Photos
Letters
Movie stubs
Lock of hair from baby’s first haircut, a tradition practiced by many different cultures
Favorite onesies
Alternative: Scrapbooking
Give your stack of old photos a home with some old school scrapbooking. Here are some Scrapbooking Tips by a Designer.
Audio Time Capsule: Recording a Family Member
Listening to the voices of our loved ones, especially an audio track, can bring us comfort. In this New York Times article, the writer talks about her father’s annual Christmas ritual, which basically brought us to tears.
“He pours a large tumbler of Scotch, goes into his bedroom, shuts the door and listens to tapes I made of conversations with my grandma before she died 22 years ago. Back when her death was still raw, he would listen and cry. ‘Now I’m at the point where I hear her voice and just feel close to her again,’ Dad told me.”
Grab a coffee, hit record on your phone, and capture the stories of your loved ones.
Visual Time Capsule: One Second Everyday
On January 1, 2018, Akina (our other editor) started capturing one-second clips of every day and was excited to see the result by the end of the year. Little did she know, she captured the last living moments of her grandfather and father, who had passed away that year. To date, this video is one of her most prized possessions.
Alternative: Day One Journal: Private Diary
Day One might be more up your alley if you’re more prone to capturing memories using a camera. This digital diary is an easy way to write, document, and revisit memories that are important to your life.
Speaking of keepsakes…remember this commercial?
Thoughtful (and Tearjerking) Mother’s Day Gifts
Mother’s Day is almost here! And while flowers and candy may have been your go-to all these years, treat the special mama in your life with a sweet DIY gift instead.
Simple Yet Thoughtful Mother’s Day Gifts
Retake your childhood photos with your siblings.
Create a digital version of shoebox memories by digitizing home videos, photos, and audio recordings using Legacybox.
Start compiling letters to give to Mom. Check out these prompts for ideas.
Weekend Events
Take mom out this weekend or buy her something pretty at one of the many pop-ups that are happening!
💃🏽 Friday, May 5
University of Guam’s 8th Film Festival
A night of entertainment featuring student directed/produced films screening mini/short narratives, mood pieces, twisted trailers, mokumentaries and documentaries.
⏰6 PM
University of Guam Music presents All the Good Songs
A spring concert with performances by the Mangilao Hot Jazz Band and The Latte Tones featuring sing-a-longs and your favorite classics.
📍Location: University of Guam Fine Arts Theater
⏰Time: 7:30 PM
$5 Entry
Cha-cha-cha the night away at Guam’s newest night club.
📍Location: Club Zoh
⏰Time: 9 PM - 2 AM
🛍️ Saturday, May 6
All the good things – pop-ups, open car meet, sneakers, food trucks, fashion shows, skate battles, giveaways, and Toyz R Us. Chef Dylan Saad is also hosting a hot sauce eating contest! Are you gonna TAP IN or TAP OUT?
📍Location: Freedom Park
⏰ Time: 12 PM - 10 PM
$1 Entry + Raffle Ticket
Shop for mom while supporting our small business owners.
📍Location: Guam Premier Outlets
⏰ Time: 10 AM - 6 PM
Support the Stoke
Fundraiser to send Guam’s finest surfers to the ISA World Surfing Games
📍Location: The Venue
⏰ Time: 6 PM - 10 PM
$10 Entry
University of Guam Music presents All the Good Songs
The second and last night to catch performances by the Mangilao Hot Jazz Band and The Latte Tones featuring sing-a-longs and your favorite classics.
📍Location: University of Guam Fine Arts Theater
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM
$5 Entry
With love ❤️ See you next issue!
This newsletter is made with lots of love and a ridiculous amount of coffee. You can support us by sharing our newsletter with your homies and/or by showing some love on Buy Me a Coffee ☕️