My Mom sent me a picture she has kept for fifty years. She says she decided it was time to start cleaning out some of the clutter. I can understand what it is she means exactly, and I don't enjoy the thought. As we age the realization the stuff we treasure will be left behind begins to enter our conscience. Then the questions begin, what to hold onto a little longer, and what to let go. A sorting of priorities one might say. To dwell on these thoughts too long leads to melancholy, the only word that describes my feelings in regard to this subject. So, I will move on and continue my story.
The picture I received was taken June the tenth in 1965.It was my sixth grade class picture. As I looked at the faces staring back at me, some were nameless. How could that be ? My memory seems to have failed with some. Perhaps even more curiously, why did I remember the ones I did ? What was it about them that held them in memory. What did that say about me ? Is it that I travel with blinders on ? I think we all do that to a certain extent. Why were they not remembered ? Then, I wondered if they were looking at that picture, would they remember me ? I can see no reason that they would. I would say I was just the average run of the mill kid in school. I wasn't a brilliant scholar or a big troublemaker. No great athlete or possessing any outstanding talent. I wasn't in the class plays or clubs of any kind. I wasn't even in the band. I was there on the fringe and content to be so. Why that was is a paper for a sociologist to write. For those who know, I came from three mile harbor. That explanation should suffice.
I posted that picture to facebook for help in filling in the blanks. The response was almost immediate. All the names are there now. My memory refreshed. Reading the names once again memories of each person came back. I admit some memories are stronger than others. There is even one that I have no memory of at all. I wonder why that is ? Well, the mystery is solved and the information duly recorded. It will be attached to the picture for future generations to " discover. " A brief explanation of the past. Now I am sitting here and a new question comes to mind, where did they all go ?
It is a project I had an impulse to begin but one that left just as quickly. What if I could contact everyone in that picture and get a brief synopsis of their lives. A sort of, where are they now sort of thing. Starting with that picture and then filling in the years that followed in a third person account of their actions. I know this has been done before and is not a novel idea. I was just thinking about all the kids of the kids in that picture. And what about the grandkids of the kids in that picture ? What number would that be ? How many husbands and wives ? One each, or two, maybe three ? Where do they live now ? How many details would they be willing to share ? I'm quite an open person and don't have many secrets. I do have a few though that would not be included. What about you ?
An amazing thing this picture. Fifty years later and it comes back to me. Much of my high school years memorabilia was lost. It was placed in a storage locker after my divorce and never recovered. I expect it was thrown in the trash as just old junk. But that was forty years ago. Well Moms' tend to hold onto things belonging to their kids. I'm glad that mine did. And she waited until she was sure I would appreciate it before giving it to me. Yeah, Moms' are smart like that. That picture captured June the tenth 1965 for just a few moments. That is where I was and who I was with. Wonder where they all went ?
The picture I received was taken June the tenth in 1965.It was my sixth grade class picture. As I looked at the faces staring back at me, some were nameless. How could that be ? My memory seems to have failed with some. Perhaps even more curiously, why did I remember the ones I did ? What was it about them that held them in memory. What did that say about me ? Is it that I travel with blinders on ? I think we all do that to a certain extent. Why were they not remembered ? Then, I wondered if they were looking at that picture, would they remember me ? I can see no reason that they would. I would say I was just the average run of the mill kid in school. I wasn't a brilliant scholar or a big troublemaker. No great athlete or possessing any outstanding talent. I wasn't in the class plays or clubs of any kind. I wasn't even in the band. I was there on the fringe and content to be so. Why that was is a paper for a sociologist to write. For those who know, I came from three mile harbor. That explanation should suffice.
I posted that picture to facebook for help in filling in the blanks. The response was almost immediate. All the names are there now. My memory refreshed. Reading the names once again memories of each person came back. I admit some memories are stronger than others. There is even one that I have no memory of at all. I wonder why that is ? Well, the mystery is solved and the information duly recorded. It will be attached to the picture for future generations to " discover. " A brief explanation of the past. Now I am sitting here and a new question comes to mind, where did they all go ?
It is a project I had an impulse to begin but one that left just as quickly. What if I could contact everyone in that picture and get a brief synopsis of their lives. A sort of, where are they now sort of thing. Starting with that picture and then filling in the years that followed in a third person account of their actions. I know this has been done before and is not a novel idea. I was just thinking about all the kids of the kids in that picture. And what about the grandkids of the kids in that picture ? What number would that be ? How many husbands and wives ? One each, or two, maybe three ? Where do they live now ? How many details would they be willing to share ? I'm quite an open person and don't have many secrets. I do have a few though that would not be included. What about you ?
An amazing thing this picture. Fifty years later and it comes back to me. Much of my high school years memorabilia was lost. It was placed in a storage locker after my divorce and never recovered. I expect it was thrown in the trash as just old junk. But that was forty years ago. Well Moms' tend to hold onto things belonging to their kids. I'm glad that mine did. And she waited until she was sure I would appreciate it before giving it to me. Yeah, Moms' are smart like that. That picture captured June the tenth 1965 for just a few moments. That is where I was and who I was with. Wonder where they all went ?
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