Seven years.
Seven years doesn’t sound like a lot of time. Seven years. Seven years ago I was just moving from Seattle back to Los Angeles. I was dating a man that I liked… and eventually I thought better of it and stopped liking him. Seven years ago I was struggling to put myself through college. I was working at coffee shop where I was the most popular barista because I was super nice, remembered everyone’s drink order, and occasionally wore low cut tops. Nevermind that last part, Mom . Seven years ago I was moving into a tiny… and I mean TINY, one room studio with no kitchen. I had a microwave that I rarely used. I read a lot of books, took a lot of painting classes, and drove a Buick. I remember feeling like I was working it out…. I guess I was.
So much has happened in seven years. So much has happened on this path that I couldn’t ever have imagined for myself.
Because so much has happened, and because so much will happen… I made a time capsule (which I keep accidentially calling a time machine).
Making a time capsule is brilliantly easy: invite over a friend (in this case, my dear/blonde friend Jill), gather some of the things that you love, label them, tag them, write your future self a note, take polaroids, pile everything in a fancy box… and let seven glorious, action packed, unexpected, adventure-filled years pass before opening it again. There you have it! A time machine!!
Inside every good time capsule are things that you love.
In this particular capsule I have encapsulated (see what I did there..?):
-my mom’s old watch. looking at it makes me feel five years old again.
-friendship bracelets acquired in friendship this year.
-jewelry that i love… and i’m ready to say hello to again in 2018.
-this year’s holiday card.
-a coin purse i adore.
and -a token from this year’s visit to The French Laundry.
Each item is tagged and reminisced upon.
It’s hard to think of what items I would have encapsulated seven years ago.
I can’t wait to forget about these little gems so I can open them to surprise in the future.
It’s really hard to forget about something that you’re too excited to forget about.
Does that make sense? No? Ok… cool.
Another integral part of the time capsule is the letter to our future selves.
Jill took her time with her future self letters. I think she got deep.
I probably wrote something about bagels and kittens… I dunno. My future self is already shrugging her shoulder is acceptance.
Do they have Polaroid pictures in the future!? Heck yes they do… because we encapsulated them!
There is something soooo romantic about a developing Polaroid. I don’t know what it is… but it gets me every time.
These Polaroids already look aged and weathered. Um… we just took them. No biggie.
Also… that blue sweater makes me look reeeaaaalllly hip-y (not hippie). Not to future self: you were hip-y, or something.
All the tokens go in the box!
Goodbye for now!
Jill put in some little gems that remind her of a crazy year of love, adventure, learning, and chapstick.
Sure, it just looks like a pile of stuff… but it’s a pile of oouuurrr stuff. That makes it important… mostly to us.
Signed, Sealed and Totally Hidden in my Closet.
Hiding something in my closet is essentially like digging a twelve foot hole in the ground and burying it. So rest assured, I will not happen upon this gem for a good long while.
Whatever… we all have our shames… mine is my closet.
Anyhow!
December. 2018. Champagne and newly discovered treasures. Friendship and reminiscence. And celebration! We’ll be living the future!
All of this time capsule talk is to say this:
Happy New Year! Joy of seven years ago would like to thank you for changing the course of her life. I’m so glad you come here and share the world with me. I hope the new year brings you hope, happiness, and bagels and cream cheese. But… before the future is upon us, box up some of the present past so you can remember where you are exactly now.
Love to you. Seriously. From deep down where it’s real,
Joy
Paula
I want to do this with my nieces and nephew! It’s a beautiful idea, thank you for posting your time capsule.
Annie
Hmm… I was hoping for a good idea to help me remember how my life has changed SO much in the course of one year. This is the perfect project, and YOU are the perfect Blogosphere gal pal I’ve never met for giving us the idea!
Anzelle
I love this idea! Seven years ago, I was 15, and already dating the man I married last month (yeah, I didn’t waste much time on that). So it might be fun to make a time capsule now, my life in 7 years should be quite different.
erin
being only twenty, me of seven years ago is seriously different. thank you for changing the course of my life this year, joy, and happy new year, happy new seven years of happiness and growth and change and amazing life.
Mandy@Withmilkandflour
I usually do a big tidy and clear out on the approach to the new year in preparation for a fresh start but making a time capsule sounds so fun and wonderful! Though I’d probably lose mine!
Kirstin
2018 seems sooooooo far away right now!
Three-Cookies
Brilliant idea. I am wondering whether its good to include a bottle of wine. It would age quiet well in 7 years.
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
This is such a great idea. I do this (unintentionally) when I move. I put things in a box, the box gets put into storage, and the next time I move, I am going thru storage locker with boxes that I never unpacked from the last move and open them up wondering to myself, now WHAT could be in here?! And I surprise myself and have trips down memory lane.
But nothing is cute and well-labeled like yours. It’s usually full of dust and cobwebs and a little stinky from the boxes, but the sentiment is there :)
Jess
This is so beautiful! Seven years ago I was twenty one. Holy. Bananas. Seven years from now seems like too far away to even think about. Jeezy peeps, it starts to go fast. I hope you have a wonderful new year, full of as much awesomeness as the one that has just gone!
Jess
coffeeaddict
so sweet and meaningful and all sorts of awesome! making a time capsule with your best friend is the part that really appeals to me.
Happy, happy New Year!
Çigdem
love to you joy, really
l love read to your words, your dreams. I also thing Polaroid is so romantic. Because it’s old :))
Happy New Year. I wish I will still reading your blog in seven years:)
Love:)
Benthe
I love it! 7 years ago. I was only 8 so that was different indeed yes. 7 years from now, I’ll be 22. I think I’m going to university then. Maybe I should make one.
Maya
Aww how sweet! ^_^ Last year I opened a time capsule(machine) I made 10 years ago, it was such a wonderful surprise. Its amazing to see how much we’ve changed in such a short amount of time (7-10 years really isn’t that long in the broad spectrum of things).
I believe you’ve inspired me to make another! Lovely job with yours though! ;)
Angela @ the fairy bread chronicles
Oh my goodness. Reading this jog jog jogged my memory – my friend and I did a time capsule when we were thirteen, and it’s ripe and ready to open next year! I am getting quite scared as my thirteen year old self was not exactly the most poignant of writers…
Your time capsule-making skills are quite admirable, Joy. So cute! I’ll still be reading your blog in seven years :) Happy Almost New Year.
leaf (the indolent cook)
Awesome. My life seven years ago is like another life. I’d probably lose my time capsule if I made one, though, I’m that bad. But I love the concept.
joythebaker
loose it!? dang…