All the pictures,all the memories and stories. The accumulation of a lifetime of living. Words of wisdom and lessons learned. They must be placed in the proper context to have any meaning. Misplaced memories are like looking through a fog, nothing is clear. All is left to guess and speculation. We should endeavor to place all these things in the clear light of day.
I try to do this through blogging and my other writings. I also try through the pictures I display and the stories I tell. I find setting the background to be the hardest part. The explanation of why is often very difficult. This is because of what I call " transitional thinking " or changing your mind. I find when I change my mind about something I often dismiss the original thought process altogether. Just why did I do that ? At other times I just won't admit to it. I think we are all that way to a certain extent. It is human nature after all.
I have many old photographs, mostly portraits of the ancestors. I have some that are
scenes from a past life. I may recognize the scene, a certain building or landmark, but that is all. There was a story with that photo but it has gone untold, or more properly, forgotten. There was a reason the picture was taken. That is especially true of the days before digital photography. It was an expensive proposition and the number of pictures taken where limited to the number on a roll. Unlike today, a picture was usually taken for a specific purpose. Holidays were prominent and special occasions. The how and why of it makes the pictures come to life. Too often that is missing.
This is true also of our lives. The how and why of it is sometimes missing. There are stories and tales we like to tell, but also ones we don't. And then there are those that we will never tell. Those are the ones that add the context. Those lay bare our true nature and are scary. They are scary even to us ! But they can be told. They can be told in little pieces, snippets of time and thought. If spread out they are not obvious to all. They only become obvious when in the whole.
All the things we leave behind contribute to the story. Try to leave them in an order that is decipherable. Clues must be written down, actions explained. Add the context to the story. It is everyone's hope to not be forgotten. It is your job to make it unforgettable. Tell your story, write it down and take pictures. Above all be sure to include the context. You wouldn't want to be misunderstood now would you ?
I try to do this through blogging and my other writings. I also try through the pictures I display and the stories I tell. I find setting the background to be the hardest part. The explanation of why is often very difficult. This is because of what I call " transitional thinking " or changing your mind. I find when I change my mind about something I often dismiss the original thought process altogether. Just why did I do that ? At other times I just won't admit to it. I think we are all that way to a certain extent. It is human nature after all.
I have many old photographs, mostly portraits of the ancestors. I have some that are
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| Abraham Miller King taken before his final whaling voyage he returned safely He dies in East Hampton at the age of 83. |
This is true also of our lives. The how and why of it is sometimes missing. There are stories and tales we like to tell, but also ones we don't. And then there are those that we will never tell. Those are the ones that add the context. Those lay bare our true nature and are scary. They are scary even to us ! But they can be told. They can be told in little pieces, snippets of time and thought. If spread out they are not obvious to all. They only become obvious when in the whole.
All the things we leave behind contribute to the story. Try to leave them in an order that is decipherable. Clues must be written down, actions explained. Add the context to the story. It is everyone's hope to not be forgotten. It is your job to make it unforgettable. Tell your story, write it down and take pictures. Above all be sure to include the context. You wouldn't want to be misunderstood now would you ?
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