Okay, so this has nothing to do with school or teaching. My grandpa just died (93!!) and at his funeral they had a slide show going of pictures with him. Oddly, most of the photos were of him with my family. The cousins are hard to "find." I think it's because my parents moved far away to another state, and my cousins all lived in the same town. It was "special" for us to see our grandparents, while my cousins saw them "all the time." You wouldn't think to take a picture of your work-place; it's not "special." Also we tended to do "exciting" things with them because it was vacation. Again, it was "special."
Michelle does a good job of reminding us to take pictures of our family (the three of us), and we have big group shots.
However, our family hasn't been on a "vacation" to my parents' and when they come the store is still open so it's not like we go camping in Sedona for a week. Plus, it's just my parents. Why would I need a picture of them? I know what they look like, and they're just here to visit. That's the problem! Ian will look at my photos with my parents 30 years from now and not really remember when or where that photo was taken (and think wow - I look young!) - especially if there is no photo.
So make me this promise: Next time your family comes to visit, take a picture.
And last but not least, A brief pause for Leo Despain -- 1916 - 2009. Hiker/Camper, husband, father, gardener, veteran, and my grandpa.
3 comments:
you are so right taking photos is a recording of history. We are the keepers of the memories. I took photos all through my teen years and now my family can see what my life was like growing up. I continued to take photos as my family grew and I had kids of my own. They enjoy going back and looking at events in their lives and talking about them. Now my grand kids like to look at pictures of their parents growing up and even picture of themselves as babies.
So when someone pulls out that camera at a family function, don't turn away, just smile and remember you are helping to create some history for the future. Your family will thank you for it.
I also, take lots of photos at all kinds of family events. I guess as the photographer (amatuer) we are the keepers of the memories and historians for the future. It is so important to take photos and lots of them, just don't forget to develop them and put them in an album. Sometimes we take so many we don't have time to catalog them all, but you have to make time. I have been taking photos all my life. As a teen I was the one always taking pictures and I am so glad I did. I have lot of pics of my teen years to look back on and share with my family to show where I came from and what life (and styles) were like as I was growing up. As my family grew and I had kids I still took lots of family photos and now my grand kids love to look back at the pictures of when mom, autie, and uncle were little. My own kids also like to reminisce while looking through them. They are a great document of history.
Sorry to hear of your loss.
That's a good reminder about the pictures. You're right, when they're here in the same town, we often forget to take pictures. I'll do better - I promise!
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