Have you been to the library of congress?  A big beautiful building filled with big historical books?  Books important to American History?

But what about your own history?  What do your own family shelves look like at home?  What is on your coffee table?  Are your images going to collect digital dust or are you going to have them out to be enjoyed and shared the way they should be on a regular basis?

Here are 5 reasons I love to encourage my families to have a personal family library.

1. Sitting down with a physical book, any book, helps us to slow down.  So what better way in this fast-paced digital world to eliminate some distractions of all those screens and sit down together and view your own family stories.
2. It encourages positivity. When we look back on happy memories together, we are fostering positivity, gratitude, and overall happiness for the memories we have shared together.
3. It is a wonderful way to spotlight those in the house.  It’s the same energy of singing Happy Birthday or decorating your teenager’s car for the “big game”. It is this special way we celebrate those in our life by putting them in print.  It is an act that shows an extended effort of love.
4. It brings us closer together.  When we laugh, share and enjoy memories we’ve had it reminds us of the treasured relationships we have.
5. It fosters feelings of belonging.