This morning as I sat drinking coffee while enjoying a beautiful sunrise through the East Texas pines, I started thinking about how thankful I am we can take snapshots with and store pictures on the storage disk in our minds.

It is amazing to think I can search through my mental file cabinet and see this exact picture any time I want. That got me thinking about making memory moments.

Hardly a day goes by I don’t post a picture of something beautiful on my Facebook page.

Some people are annoyed by all the sun pictures. It has become a joke among my friends to wonder if I ever look down.

There are many reasons I post so many of this type picture. One is because it is a quick way to store them for future viewing. Another is because I think someone on the other side of the Earth might need a beautiful sunrise or sunset at just that moment.

But the most important reason is because of how I want to be remembered.

When I was little, I imagine I spent all my time making memories subconsciously.

In my tween and teen years, I went about making memories for myself on a more conscious level. By then I knew about photo albums, yearbooks, longtime friends and stories a person could pass on to their kids.

Then my life moved into stages of group memories in various roles as a member of a family or an organization.

Today I realized that even though I still have a lengthy bucket list of memories I hope to create for myself, my day-to-day life has become more about making memories for others – leaving a legacy.

I’ve said many times I want to be remembered for all the things I did for free.

I don’t care whether anyone remembers any of the many and various occupations I’ve had in my lifetime. I only care if they remember any good I did in this world to improve the lives of others, minute by minute.

I want people to remember a beautiful sunrise they never would have seen if I hadn’t shared it with them. I want to be remembered for that one and only yoga class I taught that made you learn not to take yourself so seriously.

I want to be remembered as that crazy lady who dances every morning and thinks we dance with her.

I want to be remembered for moments in time. That’s it. That’s me. It’s pretty simple.

I just want to be a remembered as a memory moment maker.

What memory moment can you make in someone’s life today as part of your legacy?

Time’s a-wasting.

Better get about makin’ it.

The memory maker in me honors the memory maker in you.

Namaste’

Debbie Lee Townsend is a Hawkins resident and regular YES! contributor. Would you like to contribute? Just send us an e-mail to yes@tylerpaper.com.