I was planning to recreate the image with the 3 girls when I go home to visit. I have not seen my family for 4 years. Covid and the rules, then the inflation had a say in my plans. I am ready to go this year, but I will never be able to recreate this image anymore.

My mom’s youngest sister passed away before I made it and the first thing I did was look for pictures. She was only 14 years older than I am. She practically raised me and my sister when we were young and my parents had to work. She lived with us for a while with her husband when she had my first cousin.

The originals are still hanging in her house on the walls (from 1954).

These photos are priceless to me. It is a sad reminder that we should have taken more pictures at every stage of life, so we could look back and remember our family members who have passed. These photographs are not just decorations on the wall; they are windows into our history, connecting us to the aunts, uncles, grandparents, and great grandparents who have shaped us. Let us honor their memory by preserving our own stories, creating new memories, and passing on the invaluable gift of family heritage.

I also have an uncle who left us 3 months ago and I have him only on his wedding picture from 50 years ago. It’s a pretty hard year for me.

It’s important to capture everyone so we can pass on the memories to future generations. They want to see how we looked at every stage of our lives, just like we want to see our aunts and uncles and grandparents and great grandparents.