Some memories begin with the smallest object—a recipe card, an old photograph, a button, a handwritten note, or something tucked away in a drawer.

Choose one ordinary thing you have kept. Look at its worn edges, faded color, handwriting, or tiny marks. Then begin with this sentence: “I kept this because…”

You do not need to tell the whole story today. Follow the first detail that comes to mind and see where it leads. The little things are often the doorways into the stories we most want to remember.

No pressure. No perfection. Just your story.