I guess you could say this blog post was inspired by an article I read over the past few days. The title was “If you don’t think photos are important, wait until it’s all you have left”. WOW…gulp…
It didn’t help that I was playing sad music while I was going thru some of these…..but I sat there bawling my eyes out and yet smiling through the tears. In my mind, I remember what she looks like but it’s funny how time really does have a way of making things fuzzy. I’d like to think my mind is a trap and that I’ll never forget any of the little details about her but it made me sad while I was looking thru them and realized that after 11 plus years of her being gone that I was starting to loose the details that are so vivid in the pictures.
We’ve all lost someone we love, for me it was my sister…… and we all collective as the human race can agree that we find a bit of comfort in holding onto a paper image of the person we’ve lost. The paper allows us to travel back in time-even for just a few moments.
I’m just as guilty as the rest of you, but I’m getting better at it though. I’m talking about being “IN” the photos. Us Mom’s are usually behind the lens capturing the photos but we’re doing our selves a huge injustice by not being in them more. I mention this in my “about page” but realistically, the “i’m too fat, I want to loose a few more pounds, I look awful,” things we say to ourselves and ultimately the reason you talk yourself out of being in front of the camera…are, well…..ridiculous. Deep inside, us Mom’s know this! Think about it, your kids don’t care! They love you the way they are-every.freakin.pound. And let’s be even more blunt…these photos aren’t for YOU…they are for THEM! They are for them to hold on onto so that they can tell their Grandkids about you. It’s kind of amazing the value a piece of paper has. I’m able to show Mallory who her Aunt Nikki is.
For me, it really boils down to the whole reason I became a photographer and decided to chase this crazy dream all those years ago….. it was all for the paper.
The image in the bottom left hand corner of Nicole dancing with my Pap makes me so happy. He isn’t in the best health right now and this was back when he still felt vibrant. He and Grandma always went out dancing and would totally own the dance floor. Things are slowly changing the dancing isn’t as often. I’m so happy to have this on paper!
