To You Who Has Forgotten, 2024 Opening the closet doors in a room rarely touched, I reached for the brown leather books, hidden in the corner. In the house, there were only my dogs and me, but the images in front of me created presences that filled the space like no other. Next to me sat my mom, the third child of four readying herself for a camping trip to the U.P. Beside me, she was my peer, and 5 years later, she stood in front of me as my peer again, a college student at Eastern Michigan University, working towards her undergrad. Her hair and clothes date her, but her beauty is timeless. I can only wish that those around her praised her in my stead. Now, at 20, I’ve begun to immortalize my youth, in hopes that I can converse with myself at 55 and 87. Together, we can recount our great adventures, reminisce about familiar faces, and share my present. But ultimately, when the pages flip together and my youth returns to a closet corner, I can only wish that my memories leave a legacy in which my mother's has impacted me.
To You Who Has Forgotten is a love letter to my future self and an homage to my mother, Lisa, who has continuously inspired and encouraged me to become my best self.