Rememberence

Last May, my father in law passed away suddenly and unexpectedly from a heart attack.

This week his wife and I have trying to find a snapshot of him that is worthy of a memorial plaque for his work. And it’s breaking my heart. There are few photos of him that really showcased the light that lived in him. All the professional quality photos just weren’t HIM; say from weddings where he’s wearing a tux. So, I’ve been editing a photo taken in a restaurant to remove distractions from the background because it really shows his personality. He was a very happy, generous, fun man.

I miss him terribly. He was so hands on with his grandbabies and constantly down on the floor playing with them during visits. After his passing, I decided to make a memorial book about him for my kids, and I searched and searched for pictures of him to put in it. Sadly, I only had a few, as we enjoyed our time together and didn’t take many photos. There is one picture with only his hand in the image, tickling my son, but I cherish that photo….

I have been struggling lately with the decision on when to bring my camera and when to leave it at home. My husband, while supporting my love for photography, really gets tired of my constant shutter clicking and wishes I could just live in the moment. But, it’s days like this, when I’m looking back… searching for memories, that I wish I took more photos. Days like this which prompts me to bring my camera more often…

So, I wanted to take a moment today to really encourage you all to take some time during your next visit with family to take a photo of them. It doesn’t even have to be a special occasion, just a random visit. Please, get some pictures of them by themselves, some interacting with your kids. You never know when you’ll be wishing you had more… and at that point it will probably be too late.