The other day, while clearing out the attic, I found this collage of our family growing up. It was made by my elder daughter, using home -made flour-and-water glue on cardboard, when she was around seven years old and I remember wondering how long it would take for the whole thing to turn to pulp.
Thirty years later it is still looking good ( though I'm sure I'll get some stick for reproducing it here) and brings back all sorts of memories.
As an author I use my own memories to portray the recent past, and spend months researching historical events to ensure accuracy and authenticity. But I never regard my research as complete until I find old photographs of the era - images that, to me, can often say so much more than the written word.
Holiday snapshots, formal portraits, family scenes from the turn of the century, all of these tell their own story. The words are unspoken but the images speak for themselves.
My Smartphone now holds hundreds of photographs of family and friends, of places I have visited and amusing moments captured in single moment, while the internet is awash with shots of baby Prince George and the young royals' trip to Ayers rock. But I bet Kate would swap them all for a family album. What do you think?
5 comments:
I do think the images from our early years are often brought forward into the present in a timely fashion - thank goodness! How else would we be reminded of those cherished moments? Lovely piece Marilyn, poignant as ever. X
There's definitely something special about thumbing through 'proper' photos ..... :-)
Thanks Elaine - and Clo. I hope this has prompted you to get out your albums...
What wonderful photos ... I love looking through ours. There is just something about holding a real photo and a real book. But we know the only thing constant is change.
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I know what you mean! We always try to print out some photos from our trips and big "life events", to have a memory to pass on.
Do you feel the same about postcards vs. text messages or emails? Then perhaps you should give Postcrossing a try! It's website for people who like to find their mailboxes filled with postcards from random countries :)
Please excuse the publicity - I thought you might enjoy it.
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