Are You the Family “Archivist?”
When my family moved across the country, I was entrusted with several storage boxes that carried incredible meaning…
Inside them were decades of our family’s memories — old VHS tapes labeled in faded marker:
“Christmas at Grandma’s 97”
“Mom & Dad Anniversary”
“Podunk Concert”
“Church Play”
“Cañon City High School Baseball 2002-2003”
My parents handed them to me and said something simple:
“Can you transfer these to digital?”
It felt like more than a technical task. It felt like being ordained.
The Fragility of Memory
Magnetic tape degrades.
Plastic becomes brittle.
Playback machines disappear.
Memories quietly sit in basements and closets.
I will never forget the Christmas of 1997. I was 12 years old. I had been sick all night…as can be seen with the family mixing bowl that doubled as the family throw up bowl. As Dad manned the camera, slowly panning around Grandma’s basement to each face, my sister Maria read the Christmas story from Luke 2. This scene was SO familiar. At the time it felt just like every other Christmas. But I am now 40 years old today, and my heart desperately wants to cling to that sense of comfort and familiarity. I want to scream at the 12 year old boy sitting on the couch…THIS IS PRECIOUS…DON’T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED! My Grandma and Grandpa Herb have since passed away. Even as tears fall down my face as I write this, I can hear the sound of their voices in the video. I am so grateful I have these memories preserved, so that when I experience the hardships of life, I can return here and remember how much I was loved and cared for on Christmas morning.
My little brother’s facial expressions when he knew the camera was zooming in on him…
My Dad, cradling his Coca-Cola clock/radio like a baby…
That really mean dog Charlie that my Grandpa Herb had…
My Grandma’s voice, her inward dialogue that was always audible to everyone around…
Becoming the “Digital Archivist”
I became the digital steward — a digital archivist of my family’s story.
Frame by frame, hour by hour, I watched:
• Birthday candles being blown out with classic lines from Dad…
• Nervous teenage performances of Podunk’s New Year’s Eve concert.
• Sunday mornings of my Dad preaching and playing the trumpet. (My dad is not physically able to play the trumpet anymore, but he was a virtuoso.)
• Laughter that felt frozen in time
There’s something holy about preserving a memory that would otherwise fade.
It’s tedious work, but it is beautiful.
The Moment It Clicked
When I sent the first digital link to my family, something unexpected happened.
They started texting screenshots.
Laughing at haircuts….
Pointing out old furniture…
Telling stories I had never heard before…
What had been sitting in a box for 30 years suddenly became alive again….
Accessible.
Shareable.
Permanent.
And I realized something:
This isn’t about technology.
It’s about legacy.
Why I Care About This Work
I’ve spent years telling stories — through video, audio, and film.
But preserving my own family’s memories reminded me why I started.
Stories connect generations.
They remind us who we are.
They give our kids context.
They give our parents dignity.
And one day, they will give our grandchildren something to hold onto.
From My Family to Yours
If you have boxes of old tapes sitting somewhere in your home, I understand what they represent.
They’re not clutter.
They’re chapters.
And it would be an honor to help preserve them for you the way I did for my own family.
Right now, I’m offering a limited-time VHS Digital Transfer service:
• Regular price: $25 per tape
• Limited-time sale: $15 per tape
• Delivered via secure digital link
• Optional wooden keepsake flash drive for $30.
And for the first 10 families who sign up, I’m creating a complimentary 1-minute highlight film set to music — a keepsake you can treasure and share.
Because memories shouldn’t sit in boxes.
They should be experienced.
If you’d like to preserve your family’s story, I’d be honored to help.
https://www.lifestoryfilms.co/store/p/vhs-digital-transfer-service
—
Leo Flores
Storyteller | Life Story Films
