Here’s a simple habit that will bring you unexpected joy years from now: when you install a new lightbulb, write today’s date on it with a Sharpie. That way, when the bulb eventually burns out, you’ll know exactly how long it lasted.
But don’t stop there. Add a small note about what’s happening in your life right now. Trust me—it makes for the sweetest surprise when you discover that message years later.
An eight-year journey
Eight years ago, I installed this bulb when my daughter Julia was just 14 months old:
Fast forward to this week, and the bulb finally burned out. Here’s what I found when I unscrewed it:
The faded text reads “June 28, 2017. Julia: 14 months.” Looking at those barely legible words, I was instantly transported back to that time when Julia was taking her first wobbly steps and babbling her first words. That little bulb had been quietly lighting our dining room through eight years of family dinners, homework sessions, and countless everyday moments.
For a moment, I actually considered keeping the bulb. But that’s not really the point, is it? The magic is in the discovery—in being reminded of how much has changed while this simple bulb kept doing its job.
Lessons learned
The biggest takeaway? Write bigger and bolder. After eight years, that Sharpie text was barely visible. So when I installed the replacement bulbs, I made sure to use thick, clear lettering:
These new bulbs capture another milestone: “Evelyn lost first tooth last week” and “July 4, 2025. Evelyn is six last week.” You can see the birthday decorations still hanging in the background—Evelyn’s Spider-Man themed sixth birthday party.
In our digital age, where photos live on phones and memories get buried in social media feeds, there’s something beautifully analog about these handwritten lightbulb messages. They’re accidental time capsules that force us to pause and reflect on the passage of time.
Every bulb tells a story—not just of lumens and filaments, but of the life that happened in its glow. Try it with your next bulb replacement. Your future self will thank you for the unexpected trip down memory lane.
What moment from your life would you write on a lightbulb today?
What should you write on your bulb?
Not sure what to jot down? Here are some ideas to capture the moment:
- Family milestones: “Emma’s first day of kindergarten” or “Dad’s 60th birthday last weekend”
- Recent reads or watches: “Just finished reading Atomic Habits” or “Watched Top Gun: Maverick”
- Work projects: “Launched the new website” or “Finally finished the Johnson proposal”
- New connections: “Met Sarah at the coffee shop” or “New neighbor Tom moved in”
- Friend gatherings: “Game night with the Johnsons” or “Lunch with college roommate Mike”
- Personal achievements: “Ran my first 5K” or “Learned to make sourdough bread”
- Current obsessions: “Evelyn’s Spider-Man phase” or “Can’t stop listening to Taylor Swift”
- Weather or seasons: “First snow of winter” or “Hottest day of summer – 98°F”
- Pets: “Rescued kitten Whiskers” or “Max learned to sit”
- Home improvements: “Painted the living room blue” or “Finally fixed the leaky faucet”
The key is choosing something that will make you smile when you rediscover it years later. What small detail from today will feel like a treasure tomorrow?