Photographs, Aging and What to Do.

Photographs, Aging and What to Do.

 Like this bolt of lightening that rippled between the clouds, this thought hit me.

 What is going to happen to our photographs? Especially the old inherited ones of the 1850's 1860's forward.

 Will someone in my family keep them or take them out and burn them?

 When my husbands' Grandmother passed, the family  dumped many photos into the yard and had a bonfire with all the things they did not want. Ironic, they never asked the children of theirs if anyone wanted Grandma's prized possessions. My sister in law talks about this ever so often more than 60 years later. Yes she was a young adult and could have enjoyed much of what went up in smoke.

Maybe you do not want them, but do not destroy history. It is hard enough to get youth to become familiar with the past. Which it repeats if it is not made aware of and corrected.

Ironic, like the lightening bolt that semi hid behind the clouds and covered up it's sizzle and snap. Our youth need exposed to the past, their past, their ancestors past.  Finding their sizzle and snap in life and move forward, bringing up the past.

Someone asked, "What should I do with these pictures I inherited?."  The same applies, share them with family and get the word out on what life was like then. After shared, then what? 

Now comes the question that needs answered firmly and fairly for all. With all the gadgets of today that can preserve these photos, documents and heirlooms why is it such a pain to accomplish? Remember the old xerox copy machines, Mom had one. Expensive but Dad got it for her.  Because she always expressed an interest in the family pictures, she was given them at her parents death. She wanted to preserve them for her siblings to share. She did this many times over.  

Guess who was helping her when older, or maybe I was always helping her with the pictures and letters, I do not remember it just seems like forever.  So now I have inherited the Picture Album as Grandad Hoffman called it. I also received a copy of the DuVall Book that Grandad and Grandma had kept and another cousin had added to.  Before I received it, a cousin took the data and made it into a book form. Thank you Michael Kuhn.

Maybe we should have a Family Day, every quarter and have them all set around and become bored by the pictures and not getting to play a video game or watch baseball. Maybe it would rub off on them, or totally turn them off.

What are your plans to do with your pictures? Will you pass them down? Give them to the historical society where your ancestors were living, Or say ( Forget it) and recycle them to the trash.

More on this topic to come.  Please leave a comment on what you are going to do with yours, Thanks.

All Rights Reserved. If you wish to copy please ask.