Photographs and video
are perhaps the greatest
invention made by man.
How else would we
remember special moments,
years gone by,
days that are no more?
I get emotional over photos.
You really don't want to
get me digging through boxes
of baby pictures,
family photographs,
or old snapshots.
It brings me to tears.
Some happy.
Some sad.
But all touch me in some way.
The past few days I've been
working on a Movie Maker project.
My daughter Erin asked me to
put together some photos and video
for Bob's mom.
(see June 25th post)
Someday maybe I'll share it.
But for now-
it's just too raw-
too painful.
I'm in a blue funk now
that's been hard to shake.
I've been crying in front of
my computer all week.
How wonderful pictures are!
But, yet, how they can also haunt you.
I wish I had taken photos
early in my life.
Wish I would have had a camera
when I was a teenager.
Snapping pictures of hippies
and girl parties at Nancy's
and the phases of my Mom's
remissions with cancer.
In the November issue of
Country Living Magazine,
there was a great article
about a photographer named
Pam Spaulding.
She spent thirty years photographing
a family and chronicling their lives.
There's a black and white photo dated 1987
with the mother helping her four year old
daughter put on a dress for her birthday party.
Next to it is a black and white photo
of the little girl, now 17-
and her Mom is helping her with her prom dress.
That kind of thing gets me.
Puts a lump in my throat.
Makes me wish I had the forethought
to snap pictures of my kids
(and grand kids) at milestones
in their lives.
But I realize it's not too late.
I could take some pictures now
that will live on -
That will make future generations
laugh, or cry, or reminisce
about days gone by.
I can freeze time.
I can record life.
I can leave a memory behind.
(Click photo to enlarge)
So-
this is just to say-
dust off that camera this holiday season-
take pictures and video of
everything and nothing-
of the turkey
and the dog
and your kids playing Wii.
Of the front yard
and the pumpkin pie
and the Christmas tree being trimmed.
Of smiles
and laughter
and tears
and time...
Someday you'll be glad you did.
