Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Photographs








My mother's photograph albums, and my sister's were always dear to me. I am no longer able to view them. They have been carried away by another family member, never to be seen by the rest of us again. But it doesn't really matter. Every photograph in those albums is safe in my heart and in my brain.




And I no longer have the need to see the sights that thrilled me so in the past. I do have photographs of them - many books filled with photographs. I was so eager to record those sights so they could never be forgotten. How foolish of me. They can never be forgotten.



I rarely open those albums today. It isn't necessary. Every photograph between their covers is imprinted in my mind. Old pictures from my childhood. My mother. My sister. And later, my husband when we first met. His smile. The way he looked at our children.



And after he was gone - myself, looking so lost for so long.




Our dog, our home, and in more recent years, the places that I wandered, always wishing he was with me to share the beauty of our world again -




to watch our children become adults, beginning their own lives, bringing our grandchildren into the world.






And later still, just marking time as it passed without him. Beauty still - the butterfly, the flower, the sea, the mountain. Photographs in my mind, waiting to be shared with him again.




Today I fill my computer with my photographs. Each time I add some to the folders I wonder - when I am gone, will anyone look at them again? And if they do, will they see what I see there? Or will these pictures just disappear into cyberspace? Will any of them continue to live, in someone else's mind?


If any of you have followed my blog from its beginning, early in 2008, you've seen all of these photos before and many more. Sorry. Just feeling sentimental.

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10 comments:

katherine said...

Hello Bobbie..Thanks for the comment and thank you for sharing those old photographs. It is really good to keep photos of our love ones.

Great post.

Cheers!

Daryl said...

I feel the same. Last time I was in the FL condo I brought home old family pix to scan and save... for who? We have no children. My sister has no children. We are the end of the line ... literally. And all the pix I took home after spending a day with The Aunt (now passed) ... I scanned those too ... tho again for who? Her son's daughter and her children survive her so maybe its for them I have scanned these pix ... and I think tonite I will put them on a CD and send them to her.

Judy said...

Hi Bobbie, I think we all feel sentimental sometimes and it is great to feel that way. I enjoyed these photos you posted. Thanks for sharing and thanks for your prayers for Balisha today.

kenju said...

Bobbie, I've been thinking about posting some of my old photos again, too. Don't apologize for that. I love looking at these small pieces of history, and yes, I think others in your family will want to see them again and again.

dianasfaria.com said...

I've often thought if my house went on fire the first thing I would grab as I fled (besides the family members & dog, of course)would be my photo albums! Maybe that is why they are all stuck under my bed.
One of my favorite things to do is sit and look through old photographs.
I think your sentiments are lovely Bobbie.

Mare said...

I often get sad looking at older photos, and I kind of don't take pictures any more. I do show random photos to my mother [97] at breakfast each day and she really enjoys it.

Sylvia K said...

Like you and the others, I too, feel sentimental sometimes and enjoy looking at old photos. I do it less than I've done in the past. Not sure why other than I'm very content and happy right now -- whatever that means?????

Have a great day!

Sylvia

Dianne said...

old photos usually bring me comfort, sometimes sadness

I already have many of your photos in my mind and heart

there is a shot of you and Isaac, I think you're sitting on a bench, he is beside you - I remember that one a lot :)

Rambling Woods said...

I am a very sentimental person Bobbie and I hear what you are saying. I took my blog's first year and printed it up using Blurb.com and gave it to my daughter so it won't all just be gone. But I guess it will be anyway. I think we think in these terms as we get older... Michelle

Kay said...

When my son was here visiting us in Hawaii, I showed him some old photos. I have too many. He asked me to scan and preserve them. Gracious! That's a lot of work. That will have to be a project for someday.