Family Pictures

Recentlly, I pulled out a suitcase stored way back in the closet. It was filled with family pictures through the years. I stored them in the suitcase and in a waterproof sack in preparation for a hurricane's onslaught. 

When each of my three sons turned 21, I presented them with an album with photos and certificatesthey had achieved. Russ and Randy's albums were in the suitcase. They had given them to me on different occasions for safekeeping. At the end of each of their albums was their very first picture taken. I had cut it so that each had the half that was his own picture.  I might mention that they are twins. That I cut the picture in half like that has bothered me for over 20 years, now and then.  So, while I had both albums out, I took Randy's picture out of it's place and put it into Russ's album. It fit like a puzzle piece. For a moment, all was well with the world.

One album had the remainder of the pictures I had removed to make the albums for my sons. I took them all, labeled them and put them in a new album. One other album is still missing. The old wedding album remains in tact. I organized artifacts and pictures of grandsons into envelopes for later assembly into albums, packed all in plastic and found room for them in the album closet.

As I closed the closet, , I noticed two big shoppiing bags of unsorted pictures which, I vaguely recall storing there with full intention of creating a visual journey through their time. Several years have passed since that storing of those pictures. I didn't even venture to look to see if I could remember their stories!!

when my mother died, I packed up all her albums and gave them to her granddaughter to keep. I don't recall if they are labeled. I gave pictures to my brothers that were of their family alone and sent a few to cousins of their families. I found a few pictures in frames that I thought one of the hurricanes took with them when they broke opened my door and took my roof, while passing through!!

At the end of the day, I closed the album closet's door with the full intention of getting back to it really soon.  If I don't, I don't. There is history to be told and all the memories are stored in our hearts, waiting to be told. The pictures help with the details. They all have smiling faces, but sometimes, there is a darkness that accompanies them, that won't be forgotten either. Forgiven, yes. Lesoons learned, yes.  Wounds heealed, for the most part. The most valuable part of the pictures is that they reflect that there has always been joy along the way, something I sometimes forget.

The most important part is putting the pictures together into a story. How will the story read?
Suggestions are welcome here.