Scrapbooking, More than a Hobby

By:Maria

For those who frequent dMarie, scrapbooking is more than a hobby, it is a way of life. It is how we express ourselves and how we discover ourselves. The importance of documenting our lives has been proven - it links our past with our future and helps us better understand the challenges, as well as the joys, we face daily.

I began scrapbooking after the birth of my first child, almost five years ago. Never having a baby book myself, creating one for him was very important to me. Photographs were my way of showing him that his family loved him whether they were those nearby or those he would rarely see. Working on his scrapbook motivated me to take more pictures of him and our families. Those photos proved priceless when we unexpectedly lost both of his grandmothers during his first two years of life. As I reluctantly documented those sad events, the pictures compelled me to see that there were still joyful moments through the tears. We were and are a family regardless of the physical obstacles that separate us. Scrapbooking gave me a way to communicate that to my son on a level he could understand.

The benefits of scrapbooking go beyond those of a traditional journal. Creatively adding pictures and momentos to our words shows who we are and what we value most. For all of us, what is most important is our families - whether that be our children, our grandchildren, parents, spouses, siblings, or even our pets, our priorities are clear. Our "photojournals" are our legacy, validating our love to the present generation and those yet to come.

Tomorrow at dMarie Daily: A Scrapbook is a Home, by Janet D.