It Was Long Overdue
...Well, I hope that it can be inspiring to someone at least- ha!
I finally went through the last of my aunt's boxes. Since I had to move everything out in such a hurry and also wanted to allow for time for her best friend to look through the photos, I just kind of crammed these boxes in a corner in the bedroom and threw an afghan over them. Literally. Since I'm on lay-off until the beginning of March, this was one of the activities I wanted to take care of. It was bittersweet, with more sweet than bitter. I have a wealth of photos from grandparent's childhood/great-grandparent era that I didn't know existed. Now that I know of 4 second cousins, I will hopefully be able to contact one or two of them and have some answers. I don't even know the names of my great-grandparents on her side. Also, I found a series of photos- about 5- of a memory I've always had of a visit to my grandparent's, especially about my Grandpa. He passed away when I was 11. I have some very fond memories of him, and am thrilled that there are actually photos attached to one! I'm beyond thrilled that I have any photos of him. Before, I didn't have anything of him at all. The most difficult photos to go through were of my cousin Vicki. She unexpectedly passed away at 17 years old of alcohol poisoning (graduation party). I was 10 then. I see how much she meant to my aunt, as if I didn't realize it before, but the volume of mementos and photos she kept really bring it home. I wasn't ever able to really go through grief for her or my Grandpa. Right after Vicki passed, everything started to happen so fast with Grandpa. I wasn't able to see him again after her funeral, so I guess the cancer was aggressive. I wasn't able to ask about or talk about Grandpa after he passed. So that was it. Just sweep it all under the carpet like it never existed. That was the theme of my childhood. It's been quite the journey to unlearn this and now in so many ways, I feel like it's too late anyway because there isn't anyone around to talk about family anymore. I hope that I do get to hear from at least one of these second cousins, but I understand if I don't. When I contacted them about my aunt's passing, none of them had ever heard of me. I do feel a sense of closure and of belonging for the first time in my life despite that though, just because I hold these photos and mementos. I finally have some things that I can look at and learn about my mom's side of the family for the first time in my life.
I finally went through the last of my aunt's boxes. Since I had to move everything out in such a hurry and also wanted to allow for time for her best friend to look through the photos, I just kind of crammed these boxes in a corner in the bedroom and threw an afghan over them. Literally. Since I'm on lay-off until the beginning of March, this was one of the activities I wanted to take care of. It was bittersweet, with more sweet than bitter. I have a wealth of photos from grandparent's childhood/great-grandparent era that I didn't know existed. Now that I know of 4 second cousins, I will hopefully be able to contact one or two of them and have some answers. I don't even know the names of my great-grandparents on her side. Also, I found a series of photos- about 5- of a memory I've always had of a visit to my grandparent's, especially about my Grandpa. He passed away when I was 11. I have some very fond memories of him, and am thrilled that there are actually photos attached to one! I'm beyond thrilled that I have any photos of him. Before, I didn't have anything of him at all. The most difficult photos to go through were of my cousin Vicki. She unexpectedly passed away at 17 years old of alcohol poisoning (graduation party). I was 10 then. I see how much she meant to my aunt, as if I didn't realize it before, but the volume of mementos and photos she kept really bring it home. I wasn't ever able to really go through grief for her or my Grandpa. Right after Vicki passed, everything started to happen so fast with Grandpa. I wasn't able to see him again after her funeral, so I guess the cancer was aggressive. I wasn't able to ask about or talk about Grandpa after he passed. So that was it. Just sweep it all under the carpet like it never existed. That was the theme of my childhood. It's been quite the journey to unlearn this and now in so many ways, I feel like it's too late anyway because there isn't anyone around to talk about family anymore. I hope that I do get to hear from at least one of these second cousins, but I understand if I don't. When I contacted them about my aunt's passing, none of them had ever heard of me. I do feel a sense of closure and of belonging for the first time in my life despite that though, just because I hold these photos and mementos. I finally have some things that I can look at and learn about my mom's side of the family for the first time in my life.
Replies
that is neat to be able to look at old photos....we had cousin who digitalized a bunch of photos from his side of family...some were of my great grandparents on my moms side that I never knew but the farm was his we grew up on as our out of town property....yup cool....hugs bill
So exciting about the photo of your Grandpa that you have fond memories. You should frame it for your house.
Thank you, that\'s a great idea! While I was sorting these same photos, I removed a few from the picture frames they were in and then thought I would deal with them (the frames) later to figure out their new purpose in my home. You just gave the greatest idea for their new purpose :)
when my dad\'s cousin passed my mother inherited a huge box of photos. There was very few photos for my family in the box by my cousin\'s cousin (my aunt\'s sister\'s daughter) had pictures of her family in there. It took 3 years to get the box up to her...I had to make the trip special because my mom wouldn\'t drive 2 hours north just for fun. We made a day out of it dropping off the pictures and walking around some new stores and a new to us restaurant. The cousin had fun going through the box, which was bigger than a printer and case of paper.
I\'m so glad that you made the effort to get the photos to her! I am hoping that at least one second cousin will respond to my letter asking if they would be interested in talking to me and sharing anything about my aunt. I don\'t know what to do with the photos though. They all live so far away- Texas and California- and I\'ve never had an income that can support traveling. All I can do is keep trying to communicate though.
is there a way that you can scan them in and send them to the other family members?
Not anywhere that it can be done for free. I don\'t have pc internet access at home nor the income to support it, so I go to the library or use my phone.