Photographs: The 'road signs' of our lives

Our entry table at Clover Leaf

It's Friday, and time for another Friday Night Thought Tale hour here at the Henderson's.  Last weekend, on the way home from visiting family, my husband commented to me about something I would not have considered important to him.  We had gone there loaded down with some old pictures, and new pictures that I had made and framed for the family and a special new event in their lives.  I was gushing on the trip home about how wonderful the pictures looked sitting in the entry way, to which he usually just mumbles, 'Uh huh' and continues to drive.  But this time, he remarked, "You know, I wonder how people feel when they come to our house and see all of the photos we have around our walls and shelves....Do you think it says something to them about who is special to us and who is not?"  "Well of course it does...", was my quick response, "That is exactly why I do it."  But that was not the biggest part of Chris' point.  His big heart had another concern.  He doesn't want anyone to enter our home who is connected to us to feel 'left out'.  I had to explain to him the only the 'main cast' needs to be out on the walls publicly.  But he got me thinking...

What do my photographs mean to me, and why are they so important?

I've always had my favorite people pictures out and around me, even when I was just a young girl. Thinking back this week about what I love to surround me in terms of photos, I realized that the types of photos that I have hanging or sitting near me are a pretty good depiction of where I'm at in my life. As a kid, it was animals or friends, maybe grandparents, then as a teen it's your favorite idols or whatever you're involved in, and then later, your mentors, maybe who you aspire to be.  Then comes the big events - college or marriage or some grand adventure.  All usually include people, or you, caught in a memorable pose with a knowing smile or look that brings the whole thing just flooding back to your mind.  You know what I mean don't you?  I can still pull out a couple of shots with old friends, or a special moment with one of my family and quite simply, be right back there.  I love that part of a photo.  This is why my house is frankly littered with framed photos that I adore. 

It's a collection of my life and what's important to me....

I can pull out pictures from the past and see the pictures that are in the background, and tell you exactly what season of life I was in.  Wedding pictures in the background, babies, kids in sports gear or dressed up for an event.... And now, more babies, grown up kids, elderly parents... For me, my photos are the road signs of my life.  You can walk in my home and know immediately that we have a large family, and some beautiful recent weddings.  And on one side of the entry, there is a very large oil painting of one of our sons - signifying even to a stranger that it must mean something very important.  In short, those entry way pictures are my 'hello, this is where we are in our life'.  I bet a lot of you can relate to a similar place in your home.  

But I know that displaying photos doesn't mean everything

As I told Chris during our conversation on photos, there are many dear people we know who don't have a single photo out in their homes, but who absolutely adore their families and have very full lives.  These are the 'Photo Album' set who very neatly have the most important photos and story lines well preserved, and in order.  Their road signs are there too, just placed privately where they can find them and only to be shared with the most valued.  I can appreciate that too.  As I heard when recently returning a box of photos to one of the kid's former romantic relationships, "Oh, I was so worried these were lost!  Thank you!"  Just because they aren't in a frame on a wall doesn't mean they are not priceless...

I really hope we are not cluttering up life's highways with so many signs....

Chris' very first trip out to California, 1999

I wonder if we will still have as much ability to look at our photos and experience the pull back into time with the advent of digital pictures, instragraming and over sharing every minute detail of our daily lives?  Will the special meal's savory taste be forgotten in the deluge of all the other dinners I photographed to share?  And will the beauty of a kiss be lost in the effort to be sure it was photographed correctly, so we delete that one and take it again?  We used to take pictures and cross our fingers they'd come out, running down to  Photo at the drug store and tearing open the package before we left the counter.  Sure, there were disappointments and over-exposures,  but there were also those joyous surprises and treasured gasps.  We rarely threw away those pictures - but now we delete and retake.  Just some food for thought.  Maybe we need to not archive everything, just the things that are currently directing us...

So tonight, we will toast to photographs and memories, as we drink something I call "Photo Finish", and I add a couple of new photos to the shelves.  Because you know what?  I don't want anyone to ever think they are not important to me because they are not a part of the collection.  Thanks to my bighearted husband, I don't think that will never be a problem.  CHEERS FRIENDS!

Joy's Photo Finish Cocktail

2 oz of Peach Vodka

2 oz of Jamaican Dark Rum

2 oz of Gin

2 oz of Apple Juice

1 lemon slice

Drizzle of simple sugar

Pour the gin and the vodka over ice into the glass, and then add the rum. Then pour in the apple juice and squeeze the lemon on the top. Now, carefully drizzle the simple sugar on top. Stop right there.... Do not stir. Enjoy!  (always drink responsibly)