Faces in Time

Every now and again I reflect upon the people from my past. Those I went to school with, those I served in the Navy with and others I just met along the way. Some were close friends,some were acquaintances, and some others arch enemies. Well, maybe not enemies, but I didn't like them much and I'm sure the feeling was mutual. I do wonder about them and what happened to them. In this digital age the general feeling is you can find anyone. That is true but is not as easy a task as it appears. A lack of detailed information makes it a tedious thing. One friend of mine comes to mind, Russell Smith from Maine. That is about all I know of him. There are a lot of Russell Smiths in Maine ! With my service buddies often all I know is the last name or a nick name. A string of names come to mind. These people were important to me at the time. You think you will stay in touch, but you don't. You just move on. That is the nature of man I suppose. Just move on, taking your memories with you.

I have a few snapshots from those days. Some of the faces staring back at me I know immediately. There are others that require thought and a few unknowns. After me those pictures will become relics. The grandchildren may look at them and wonder. Who are those people ? I have ones from my Dad and I wonder about them. Groups of men, fellow soldiers, but no names. Only faces in time. I have them and am torn as what to do with them. They hold no meaning for me beyond the fact these men served with my father. Don't seem like they should just be trashed.

It is quite a remarkable thing if you give it some thought. How many have you met over the years ? How many have gone into the past and been lost ? We tend to think we will never forget. We do. I am grateful for having known them. If I had gathered more facts about these people and recorded them it would be different. Then perhaps I could locate them. The question is would we reconnect ? We were friends then due to chance and circumstance. Would we be friends today ? An interesting thought. Another interesting project would be to compile a book. A book of the people in your life. Not just family, but friends,all your friends over the years. A brief biography of each person included. It is a project that would require a lifetime to complete. It would provide a resting place for those old photographs. A place for those faces to live, to have a name and not be lost.