I often think about how much we’d miss out on if we didn’t have photographs. Our memories are so fragile and easily distorted. When you look back it’s easy to forget the little moments which make up your life. Photographs fill that gap. They let you glimpse those things which would otherwise be forgotten.
I’ve spent a lot of time looking over photographs recently. We’ve just got the scanner to work so I’m starting to put a few of my favourite pictures into the computer. It’s true what they say that looking at photos makes you feel happier. I have lots of favourite photos: pictures of graduations, new babies, standing on the Grand Canyon on my honeymoon, many that I could call awesome. Amongst all the grand vistas and heightened emotions this little picture was all but overlooked.
But I keep thinking about it. The reason is, it’s the only picture I have of me and my Grandad. I love it. The way we are smiling at each other, the resemblance to my daughter, the fuchsia in the middle which was his favourite flower. I don’t remember this picture being taken, and only have fleeting recollections of my Grandad as I wasn’t much older than this when he died.
This isn’t the best photo in the world, it’s taken on a normal camera, it’s not technically brilliant, the composition is a little awkward and it was never meant to be in a magazine or win a competition. That doesn’t matter.
Without photographs, this moment would be gone forever, as though it never happened.
So finding this picture of a moment I had forgotten with a much loved Grandparent – well to me that’s pretty awesome.
