Inspiration from the the past via the fire.....

I am finally scanning in old family pictures given to me by my mother. As I go through them, I realize many are lost, damaged beyond repair, or were taken by other siblings. I also realize as I go through the pictures that we have, the majority of them were actually taken by other family members and friends. My folks were not much on keeping a camera. I guess that keeping a roof over our heads was a struggle enough. I had a passing interest in photography as a teen, but lost most of the pictures I had taken to a flood in 1986. I had moved away from home, and a younger sister moved my box of stuff to the basement when she claimed the bedroom closet. Two years later high winds swept the water over the canals along the border between Detroit and Grosse Pointe and the neighborhood was flooded for a week. I understood then why the electrical box was up in the kitchen instead of the basement like most homes.

Along with my pictures, I lost my journals that chronicled my years between middle school and high school. I was so angry at her as I salvaged what I could, but knew that I should have removed the box when I got my apartment. But as I look at things now, I am reminded that God works in mysterious ways. Last year the same sister lost almost of her pictures when the Piquette Plaza burned down last June. She had moved and still had some furniture and items stored there along with many other folks in Detroit. Several Detroit Public schools along with other prominent organizations lost valuable items, like vintage cars, stage props, band instruments and uniforms. I felt really bad for them and her, because she lost most of her children's baby pictures and many of those items can not be replaced.

However it did motivated me to start scanning all the photos that I had and that my mother had entrusted to me. I am glad and very grateful that some members of my extended family believed in documenting family events. As the old saying goes, "Why put off tomorrow, that can be done today?" I hope to be finished by the end of April and be able to give my siblings a CD of the pictures. I plan to make my mother and myself a picture album. Here are some early childhood pictures of me. I do remember that it was a carefree time for me at that time compared to now. I don't know if I was a precocious child but my mother indicated that I was a natural caretaker of my two brothers. I do know that once the second group of children came along, I felt that I had no choice; the responsibility was was thrust on me. However as we adults siblings talk now, it is gratifying to hear that they were glad to have me as an older sister who was there for them, and came through when they needed.