Many people say that the first thing they would save if their house was burning down would be the family photo album. But why are people so attached to these flimsy paper images, and why do they hold such meaning?
'We all need connections to something, and family is one of the most basic,' says psychologist and educator Jadis Blurton. As her family's self-appointed historian, preserving memories is a subject close to her heart.
'When we look back over time we recognise how much has remained the same: people are still facing the same challenges of life. We find courage or redemption through the trials and struggles of our ancestors. We find threads of continuity. We find 'friends' who lived before us. Young people find inspiration in the successes and failures of their predecessors. While it is possible to study history and learn about characters that are unrelated, I think we all respond to a sense of belonging when they are related to us, and this adds meaning to what they did,' Blurton says.
Following an anniversary gift she put together for her parents a few years ago, Dina Khreino-Alireza has made memories her life's work.
She edited all of her family footage and combined it with old black and white photos of herself as a child, her grandparents and great-grandparents to create a film that celebrated her nearest and dearest.
'It was the best gift they ever received and my kids still watch it. Each time, we find special moments to talk about, relive, laugh at and cherish,' she says.
