Kennedy started kindergarten this year. It made me recall all of my memories of that first venture into school and all of the fun things we did. I remember losing a tooth in an ice cream cone at school, dressing up as a clown with red frosting on my nose for the school circus, helping with a centennial mosaic, and other things. During my kindergarten year, since it was the centennial celebration, we also created a time capsule as a school. Each student got to bring something small to put inside. For some reason, I have an image of creating a little doll inside of a sardine can and saying it was baby Jesus, which is funny because we didn’t go to church as a family, and we never had sardines. So I could be completely confused about the whole thing.
Anyway, it also got me thinking about how fast things are changing. With the leaps in technology, things seem/feel totally different than they did even five years ago. We communicate differently. We listen to music in new ways. Entertainment is constantly moving in new directions whether it is tv, streaming videos, books, and/or other activities. What we eat and drink seems to constantly shift. And our storage of memories evolves on a regular basis. It is the perfect time to document these things and create a little project for the future.
Creating a letter to the future you, or creating a time capsule for the future, is a great way to capture the essence of NOW and also to imagine what things will be like 20 or 30 years into the future. I’ve seen examples of people creating time capsules for their children to be opened on significant future birthdays, couples creating anniversary time capsules, families gathering up items and doing this as a fun project to do together, and of course you can do it for just you as well. There are millions of ways to do it.
A letter is certainly easier to store/transport/save, but a time capsule could definitely have its advantages. The tactile experience of digging through the items stored inside is a fun thing to think about. Either way, you will want to create a way to store your message to the future. You could also create a scrap page or mini album to set aside for the future.
The first thing would be to decide on what your project will entail and who will be involved.
Next, select a container. If you want to keep a letter safe, create it on archival paper that won’t break down easily. The same for any envelope. Keep it somewhere that it won’t get damp or dirty. Add a date to be opened on the outside of any envelope. You could always send the text of the letter to your email address and save that in a folder as well. For a mini album or scrap page, decide how and where you will keep it for the future. If you are going the time capsule route, find a sturdy container that is easily stored and will keep items safe and dry. One family used an old suitcase as a container (genius!), and another used empty paint cans that you can get at home improvement stores and decorate as you wish (so clever). Burying your time capsule might sound like a fun idea, but you would have to ensure that the container would withstand elements, and that you would be able to find it easily.
Decide what to include. If you are writing a letter, talk about what is going on in your typical daily routine. Include information about prices, current events, what your hopes/dreams are for the future, predictions you have, etc. Include pictures, lists of favorites, drawings, handprints, clothing sizes, etc. If you create a time capsule, you can include all of those things and more (based on the size of your capsule). Be creative and have some fun with it.
There are all sorts of printables you can find on line to fill out and include in your “fast forward” project. And of course you can dip into your own personal well of creativity and come up with fun things on your own.
There is an organization called the International Time Capsule Society. If you are so inclined, you can even register your time capsule with them by filling out a form online here. (It is really pretty elaborate.)
Here are a few links to give you some ideas.
http://workathomemums.hubpages.com/hub/Lock-in-the-Past-How-to-Make-a-Time-Capsule
http://www.howdoesshe.com/why-you-need-a-family-time-capsule/
http://lets-explore.net/blog/2009/08/time-capsule-in-a-tube/
http://www.apartystyle.com/2010/05/time-capsule.html
Hopefully these ideas got you thinking and wanting to communicate with the future.
Your challenge is waiting in the forum.
About the Author: Kimberlee is a lover not a fighter; a stay-at-home gran, a poet, and a lifelong learner. She grooves on saturated colors, Tuesday dance parties, optimism, glitter and sunshine. She colors outside the lines. She is a dreamer. She is a collector of moments. She is all about the story. Kimberlee completed her MFA in Creative Writing and is just finished her M.Ed. in Instructional Design.