Word of the Year Recap: Remember

Inside:  A look back at the influence my word of the year had on my life, my heart and my writing. ~

As I look back over the last 12 months, I’d love to be able to share key moments, lessons learned or multiple blog posts written about the word remember.

But while my word for 2023 has stayed with me like a patient and faithful friend, its impact has been more of a hodge podge, rather than anything I can outline in an organized list.

That’s what remembering often is, though, at least for me. Stirring the pot so nothing sticks to the bottom. Unsnarling a big ball of knots, one thread at a time. Savoring the sweetness of a long-forgotten scene.

Unexpected Impact

When I think of what remember has meant to me this year, all these metaphors come to mind. As is usually the case with my words, when it first came to me, I couldn’t have anticipated all the ways this one would touch my mind, my heart and even my writing projects.

For me, and perhaps for you too, memories are tightly tied to seasons of life. I knew this, but what I didn’t know was where they would come from during this particular phase.

Younger daughter Molly graduated from high school in May. As we celebrated her achievements and looked forward to college with her, the recollections flooding my mind were mostly not about raising her.

They were about my mom, and when I went away to college for the first time.

Maybe this is because Molly is still here, and we’re still making new memories. Like when she came home unexpectedly for my birthday in November. For the first time in a long time, I was genuinely, 100 percent surprised. (I still smile when I think of seeing a car pull into the driveway that night after supper and realizing it was hers.)

Remembering a Hard Season

This year I finally gathered up all the blog posts I had written about my parents’ last years and packaged them together in a resource called Help for Parent Loss.

As you might imagine, this exercise in remembering came with its own set of tender emotions. I don’t even remember writing some of the posts, while others describe events and feelings so deeply etched in my soul, they feel like they happened yesterday.

The work was taxing at times, in all sorts of ways. And yet, I’m glad I did it. Not simply to have all these posts together in one place, but so other people who are experiencing this sad season in their own lives will have somewhere to turn for encouragement and truth.

Remembering Our Parents

On a happier note, I also launched Remembering Our Parents this year. Based on follower stories, this Instagram community is for all of us who have parents and parents-in-law who are gone but definitely not forgotten.

I could devote an entire post to what I’ve learned from this project so far—lessons about asking for help, how people grieve, what works and what doesn’t work on Instagram, God’s provision, and even pushing through fear.

I may blog about all that someday, but right now, I’m working on trusting God while the story is being written.

I’m incredibly thankful for friends who have already joined the community, contributed memories and shared about it on their own creative platforms. If you have a parent you remember fondly, I would love for you to check out @RememberingOurParents, follow along (if you’re on Instagram), and consider sharing a short story and photo of your own. 

(You can still participate if you’re not on Instagram. Leave a comment or send me a note here, and we can talk about the logistics.)

Other Writing about Remembering

When the year began, I had a vague notion about reflecting back on my childhood and writing down everything I could think of about every memory that came to mind. Not for publication anywhere, but for my own reflection and understanding. (Joanna Gaines writes about this in her book, The Stories We Tell, which is where I got the idea.)

I still think this would be a helpful project, but I haven’t started it yet.

In previous years, I’ve been more disciplined about writing regular blog posts about my words of the year. In this year of transition and unexpected challenges, I wrote more about what I was finding it helpful to remember, instead of focusing on the word itself.

A Few Excerpts

From “What to Remember When Life Throws You Off Track” …

The scriptures tell us to run with endurance the race set before us. This includes hills and valleys, ups and downs, highs and lows.

Along the way, we experience seasons of sickness and wellness, joy and grief, uncertainty and clarity. We often have no warning before the season changes, which can add another layer of difficulty to what we are facing.

This is life, and even though it should not surprise us, it often does.

From “One Step to Take When You’re Down or Discouraged” …

Remember the goodness.

When we’re stuck in the fog of sickness, uncertainty or discouragement, it’s easy to start questioning our circumstances or life choices, even ones we’ve always believed were sound. Asking God to show us the truth about those decisions is helpful. So is reflecting on seasons where His goodness was abundantly evident.

It also can be beneficial to switch lenses and intentionally zoom in on parts of our past where God’s lovingkindness might not be immediately obvious.

From “What to Remember When the Future is Foggy” …

It’s easy to get confused or turned around when we’re living through a foggy patch. When we can’t see clearly, our minds can play tricks on us. We might get paranoid or start questioning truth or facts that normally stabilize us.

When the fog lifts, as it usually does, those foundational facts and truths are right where they’ve always been. They didn’t change, no matter what we thought or felt when we couldn’t see our hand in front of our face.

Coming Soon

I have a new word for 2024, and I hope to write about it soon. That said. my journey of remembering is ongoing. And I have a sneaky suspicion you haven’t heard the last of it here.

• • •

If you choose a word for 2023, I’d love to know how it influenced your life in the last 12 months. If choosing a word is not your thing, feel free to share a verse, song or book that guided your life this year.

♥ Lois

P.S. I’m linking up this week with One Word 2023, #tellhisstory, InstaEncouragements, Let’s Have Coffee and Grace & Truth.