And so many photos: birthdays, graduations, weddings, trips to wonderful places. She was typical of a generation that found it pleasing to keep memories alive by retaining hard copies. After my father’s death, in 1999, I saved a folder of handwritten condolence letters from his friends and colleagues. Of course, I received many emails about Dad as well — but I wouldn’t begin to know how or where to find them. I worry that for them, personal history already doesn’t reach back as far as it should.

Source: New York Times April 05, 2019 23:48 UTC