How to gather memories from family and friends

Asking people to share memories can feel like an intrusion. You worry about troubling them, or about people not knowing what to say. In practice, most people are grateful to be asked. They want to help. They just need a little guidance.

Make it easy to say yes

Send one simple link and a short, warm message. Tell people they can add whatever they like, that there is no wrong thing to share, and that even a single photo or line means a great deal. The less effort it takes, the more people will do it.

Ask for specific things

A blank page is daunting. A gentle prompt is not. Rather than asking for memories in general, ask small, specific questions and let the stories follow.

• A photo you have that others might not have seen
• The first time you met them
• Something they always said
• A moment that still makes you smile
• A song, a place or a meal that brings them to mind

Give it time

Memories arrive in waves. Someone adds a photo today, then remembers a story next week. Leave the page open, check in now and then, and let it fill slowly. There is no deadline on remembering someone.