(Rem)ember

In the end, all we have are our memories. Our lives are their collection. Their patchwork forms identity. Memories sustain us, bring us joy, love, anger, sadness - the things that make us human. Even

They say Alzheimer’s is the cruelest disease, and it is easy to see why. A lifetime of connections, bound by precious moments, snapped like a string.

In the end, all we have are our memories. Our lives are their collection. Their patchwork forms identity. Memories sustain us, bring us joy, love, anger, sadness - the things that make us human. Even the present is technically a memory a half-step behind: neurons traversing entangled synapses to bring reality to perception.

Without memories, we are an empty shell.

Yet we leave memory to chance. We allow ourselves to remember what we can. We take for granted that our memories will remain with us, at least the ones that matter. And perhaps they do. But perhaps they don’t. Perhaps there are moments we’ve already forgotten, moments that shaped us, moments that made us who we are. Moments that - if remembered - could teach us, remind us, evolve us.

And then there are the memories of those we love. Memories we have never known. The story of our mom’s first kiss, our dad’s worst grade. And their grandmothers - what lives did they lead? What did they bicker over at the dining table? To where did they want to travel most? In the end, do we all live out parallel lives, in different eras, wearing different clothes, holding different devices?

Before she passed, my grandmother would hold my hand as we skipped to the supermarket. She would teach me to bet patiently, then big, when playing cards. The things I know about her, I know well, like the feeling of her wrinkled hands on mine, the pears she would slice on a hot summer day. But what were her joys, her fears, her hopes? What music did she listen to to lift her spirits? Where would she go when she needed a quiet moment to herself?

I will never know.

Before it’s too late, we should begin saving the memories of those we love. Not for public consumption, not for static data. But for ourselves, and for those who love them. To hold onto what is most sacred, to keep our precious moments bound together. Ember’s mission is to preserve, share, and create lasting memories. It is a mission that is deeply personal, a mission that first spoke as a whisper and grew so loud that it was impossible to swat away.

Behavioral change is not easy, often requiring a magical user experience combined with a foundational technological innovation. I believe that both are on the horizon. The climb is steep, uphill, fighting human inertia and status quo. But conviction lies in believing this needs to exist. We all deserve to remember.