I have realized a lot on this project, and yes it will be good to have it done. When the recipient's of these pictures get their own pictures back, many will be grateful, and will give many thanks. I however need to be the one to give the thanks.
Imagine your life being only told in pictures, for some of these people that it what I will know. During this project it has brought many laughs and tears for the family. Some of the pictures are from a time that we would rather forget about our lives. The years that teeth were so mangled that all we can see is that kid that was teased, the pictures of the kid in glasses and the knowing how despite the gift of eye sight it brought unwanted banter amongst the siblings, the weight problems, the picture of a kid eating birthday cake remembering that was the first year after their dad passed away. One would automatically think, "Remove that picture, I hate it", I know for a fact that I have thought myself on my own pictures. Many of these pictures we may not hate the picture, we actually hate the memory associated with it. One day in the future we are going to be dead, the stories of your life will diminish as the years go by. This is life, and as much as we think that we are important and valued through the decades our lives become lost and some what forgotten.
Last night when scanning a slide I had to take a double take of a picture of my father about Nolan's age, and told Nolan, "Nolan look at this picture". He looked it mouth wide open, and said, "Mom that looks just like me", he couldn't get over it. I was a little shocked too! Some of the pictures are of family that I don't remember, or if I do my older memories consist of them being older. There are many pictures that I can see a resemblance of my cousins kids, my nieces and nephews and myself. Most of us are going to leave this world poor, sick, and everything else in between. We aren't going to be famous and through the years our life story will become shorter and shorter. So instead of deleting that picture of you not looking as pretty as you should, Don't do it. One day your grandchildrens children might look at it, and notice that you are standing the same way that they stand, or that you got your smile from your grandma's sister. They won't judge the girl with the bad teeth, the extra pounds, no they will smile like me and think to themselves, "I am just like you", and you will feel that you are connected more to that picture in the negative slide than you ever thought was possible.
Here are some pictures that really stand out to me.
Here is my Dad and my brother Lucas around the same age.
Now here is my dad
Now here is Nolan
Nolan is going to remember my dad for as long as he lives. The next two pictures really hit me hard. I never got to go know my Grandpa Ludvig Bjerklie, he died before my parent's were born. I have heard some stories about him, but never really felt a connection until this picture. Here is my Grandpa Ludvig holding his son Duane at his sons last birthday. The next one is of my late brother Ryan, Alissa, and Blake. The resemblance is scary, I have never noticed it any other picture that I have ever seen of Grandpa. So let this be a lesson for all of us, my Grandfather seen this picture at one time. He probably felt a lot of pain over the memories of the loss of his son. He knew that Duane was dying and the picture of last birthday could have been thrown. I thank you Grandpa for not throwing this picture, over 60 years have passed and I feel a connection so strong to this man. He looked like my brother that I miss and love very much.
I leave you with this thought, the next time you look in the mirror ask yourself who you look like. If you don't know, pull out your pictures.
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