It has been six years since his memorial service, and I’m looking for a photo of my brother David to show our grandchildren who hadn’t gotten to know him well. Coming across an old black and white snapshot of our childhood house covered with snow brings back a flood of memories.
Brother-sister moments that we didn’t share with our older sister.
First up, wintry ones: Sledding and snowball fights, warming up in front of the fireplace with Mom’s cocoa after roasting marshmallows indoors to dunk in it.
Then giving our duck, Elmer, a springtime bath in an old tin washtub on the patio where David later taught me to roller skate. And venture out onto the driveway and then all over the neighborhood.
He had encouraged me to be brave.
And resilient.
Kind of had to be resilient…as the memories resurfaced from those lazy hazy days of summer when my 6 year-old head was held under water at the neighborhood pool. David had convinced me it was “all in good fun”, so I learned to trust that he was there for me.
Then & throughout the years, whenever I needed his big-brotherly love…the unconditional kind.
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I didn’t expect that a yellowing winter photo of our childhood home would choke me up and energize me so much as childhood memories meandered into the beginnings of at least 5 (at last count) possible mini-stories I could start jotting down. Some may include more about my brother, while others could highlight the places I’ve called Home Sweet Home.
How do you decide among the possibilities that come up
for you as a photo jumpstarts your reminiscing?
Share in the Comments below: When have multiple memories come up from just one photo & what did you do? I’d love to support you as you add more of these snippets of life into your Legacy of Memories collection of mini-stories! Let’s chat!
JOYfully jotting,
Katie
Family PhotoStory Organizer
Mini-Stories Writing Coach
Your Legacy of Memories Mentor
Capturing Moments that Matter…
Energizing & Connecting Families for Generations!