It has been nine years since his memorial service, and I was 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 brought 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 indoor fireplace with Mom’s cocoa after roasting marshmallows 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. Memories resurfaced from those lazy hazy days of summer when my 6 year-old head was playfully held under water at the neighborhood pool. David had convinced me it was “all in good fun”, so I learned to trust the water and to trust that he was there for me.

Then and 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 and 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!

Ready to learn more about getting started?

JOYfully jotting,

Katie

Family PhotoStory Organizer

Mini-Stories Writing Coach

Your Legacy of Memories Mentor

Capturing Mini-Moments that Matter…

Energizing & Connecting Families for Generations!