A trend has emerged these past few weeks where people have been rifling through dusty boxes of photos, posting the treasures they find on social media, and sharing distant memories with family and friends. As the covid-19 crisis continues to keep us at a physical distance, it sometimes seems as if life itself has been placed on pause. Of course, there is plenty of joy to be found in solitude or in the simple pleasures shared at home with family or roommates or pets. But the events that traditionally call for flurries of photos—weddings, vacations, birthday celebrations, performances, backyard barbecues, graduation ceremonies—these have been postponed indefinitely, if not canceled outright. It’s no surprise that as the pandemic robs us of the opportunity to create new memories, so many of us have turned to the past to relive old ones.
We’re, all of us, glued to our screens these days, desperate for connection. For many, it’s comforting to extend those connections to the past, to reacquaint themselves with relatives long since deceased, or in some cases, relatives they’ve never met. This newfound interest in memories and personal history then combines with the need to feel productive, to start a project and have something to show for this period of inertia, and suddenly people are sorting, categorizing, and documenting memories. Our digital spaces become museums, and we become curators and archivists. As the virus continues to take lives, we begin to recognize the importance of preserving our legacies.
However, those who feel that their pasts are cloaked in mystery, this surge in interest concerning the past can be difficult, and watching as others blithely travel down memory lane might be somewhat vexing. On the other hand, perhaps it’s galvanizing: this is a time that’s ripe for reflection, so why not take some steps toward solving those mysteries? Since life, for the time being, is largely experienced online, why not seize the opportunity to conduct some research? To join an online community for adoptees? To enlist the help of a search angel? Regardless of what direction your thoughts take, know that your feelings are valid, and know that you are not alone. It’s true that we are separated from one another physically, but in many ways, we are closer than ever emotionally.