Expressions from an Average, Everyday, Extraordinary Life

Lately I've been thinking a lot about life - and how we only get one chance to live it.  I have a wonderful Aunt who passed away at the young age of 42.  I inherited boxes and boxes of her photos. They are priceless to me because they are remnants of her view of this world that can never be duplicated.  Every time I look at them I feel close to her because I am seeing her life through her lens.

She saved everything - like this family photo taken the month I was born.  My aunt is to the left of my uncle in the glasses.  My mom is to her left.  With my grandmother in front of my mom, I wonder if I was here yet... 

It is so interesting to go through her photo library because she took so many photos and saved every image her siblings sent her.  I believe she has the most complete collection of family memories of all my family.  

I love this photo of my grandparents right before a trip (I especially love their clothes and the car).

Even more priceless are these photos of my Grandpa Lillo having fun.  This is exactly how I remember him - I loved spending time with him.  My parents don't have one photo of him.  Without my Aunt, I wouldn't have any either.  Thankfully she took the time...

It's amazing - every single family photo taken through the years except a few were by my Aunt.  This is incredibly remarkable considering I grew up in Arizona and she lived most of her life n West Yellowstone, Montana.  Here's one of me and my parents...

And another about a year and a half later after my twin sisters had arrived.  Even as a toddler I looked a little overwhelmed :) -

The crazy thing is there are literally hundreds of photos of all her siblings and their families just like this - she has more photos of her nieces and nephews than their own parents do.  It is pretty remarkable.  In fact, at her funeral we all had a good laugh as her nieces and nephews spoke and each and every one talked about how they just knew they were her favorite.  She treated everyone like that.

I also love the images she took that were strictly her view on life and the things in her everyday -  her beloved white mustang I rode in so many times as a toddler...

Or this photo of a Gorilla throwing a tantrum in a zoo - on the back there's only a date - November 15, 1974.  I wonder if I was with her.  Some of my favorite childhood memories of her are zoo outings and going to feed the ducks.

I love this shot of a Saguaro cactus from who knows where - it brings back fond memories of my home state -

Moving day with her friends -

And last but not least, bears like they used to be in Yellowstone - they'd come right up to your car window for food...not that I'm saying that is a good thing. :)

My Aunt Jana was a memory keeper.  She captured and preserved memories from the time she was a teenager all the way throughout her life.  

I know these photos may be a boring slideshow to those who didn't know her, but they are priceless to those who did.

You have a view that is uniquely yours.  All this work you do to capture your life and preserve memories is priceless.  Your work  as a memory keeper is something that will touch generations.  It is SO WORTH it.

So remember that the next time you are working on your photo library and smile. :)

 

Comments

[ksharonk]

Thanks for sharing these family treasures, Kayla ... your mum is gorgeous, and aren't you a little cutie?

[ava-j]

I envy you and your treasured photos! I may not have a lot of the same, but I'm sure making sure I'm making memories and taking photos of them too!

[Kayla Lamoreaux]

And thats the point! It is so easy to forget that our memories now will be priceless in the future. Thanks Ava! :)

[Carla Skipper]

Hi Kayla - Thanks for sharing this post. It got me to thinking about something on somewhat of a different rabbit trail though. You said you inherited boxes and boxes of photos. Having the pictures right there and ready to look at is some thing so special. In our digital age, we are sometimes too digital. But that I mean we do everything on the computer. How many pictures or letters or whatever whatever little keepsakes never see the light of day? Just wondering if a box of DVDs would hold the same fascination? (Or what if they never make it off an EHD somewhere.) Would someone going through boxes actually stop to load them to see what was on them or would they be more inclined to either pitch them or just have them live in that box in a new home. Maybe there is something to be said for the printed medium??? :-)
-c-

[Kayla Lamoreaux]

Great thoughts Carla! Photos have been passed down in my family for generations. I also received photos from my grandmother in boxes. In my generation I am grateful to get those boxes. I also know how to use a scanner and share. I think the biggest frustration any generation has is getting photos (either boxes or external hard drives) and now knowing who or what the photos are. When you cant identify why a photo was meaningful, it loses its value.

I think future generation will respond well to photos passed down in digital format - especially if they are shared with metadata - keywords and captions that tell a story along with GPS info. The most important thing is cultivating a library - either printed or digital - that can be passed down with the stories of the images intact. It is also important that the images are not overwhleming. A simple library with stories and keywords will be much more meaningful than hundreds of thousands of images that leave people guessing.

Great thoughts! So appreciate your comments!

[Kayla Lamoreaux]

Thanks Sharon! :)

[suzy R]

I really enjoyed seeing these Kayla - thanks for sharing them! Things "back in the day" were so cool and your Aunt left you such treasures - how lucky are you?

One thing that really jumped right out at me was how young your Mom is in those pictures! Makes me feel so old thinking I started my family at 34.

[Kayla Lamoreaux]

Thanks! I think there is definite advantages at times to being a little older and wiser when kiddos come along. I am so much more patient now than even a few years ago! :) The one crazy thing no one tells you is that age makes us older but the heart still feels young - dont you think?