Picture taken by Nicole Barden of the refrigerator at the cabin.

How does your family mark occasions and celebrate visits with friends? What little customs do you partake in?

I recently took a drive to check on a cabin by a river. This cabin is used for recreation, hunting, and escaping the day-to-day, so one can find peace.

As I entered, the first thing I noticed was the refrigerator. It had names and dates of people who had camped there. It was covered with other’s thoughts and the adventures they experienced. From catching a massive trout to seeing friends they hadn’t seen in some time.

I thought it was an awesome idea. It is a visual guide to the past showing all those who had relaxed there.

As I continued looking, I could see the owners and their children’s names. Their children aren’t young anymore. They have grown up and started having families of their own.

I noticed at the very bottom was the name of one of the owners’ grandchildren. The writing had been done by the child.

What a great tradition to pass on.

It’s nice to see all the names of others who had been there, and to know those names will be seen by future friends and family as they create new memories.

— Nicole Barden 6/17/2021

Originally published in What Is Love To You on Medium