Okay, this isn't from Jolene Brackey's book - but it could have been! Tryn Rose Seley's Kindle book, 15 Minutes of Fame: one photo does wonders to bring you both to solid ground, is a must-devour for any caregiver, anyone involved with older friends & family.
Our family was blessed by a mother who loved photos, who shared them - and their stories - with us from the time we were very little. We never got to the place where those stories could have served as a connection, but they would have if she'd had to face the challenges of dementia.
I've written about this before, I will again - having albums of photos from days long gone (the first of Mom's treasured snaps were taken in 1914, when she was 4 - with sitting with Tryn's 20-something grandmother!) to the present can trigger memories otherwise lost in the midst of time.
We were blessed to have the photos AND the stories. Together - a photo & even just a tiny fragment of its story - can arc people back to an earlier time, to sensations & feelings, memories & moments otherwise gone.
In this present day & age, we have so many photos, but without captions, without stories. Take the time to sit down - now - with older family members, aging friends, to compile albums of photos, to write down the stories to which they connect.
Without their stories, photos are just pictures.
The power is in bringing the two together!
Never use only the computer for photos!
Online photos are convenient, but lack the power
of old-fashioned photo albums.
Heartbreaking to see albums with
photos but no descriptions.
Tryn's book is small, but mighty. Gather those pictures together, share & write down the stories behind them, get to know who the various people are, the relationships, the big details & the tiny tales. Keep it simple, keep it effective. One story at a time can yield big results.
Time is fleeting. The best time to make the effort is now. Make a moment, a memory of archiving in actual albums - not online - photos, memorabilia, family stories. If possible, make it multi-generational. If you have an older friend who doesn't have family nearby, do it with him or her. Yes, it's important to men as much as women!
Share them, save them, use them. Those 15 minutes of fame can create a priceless link.
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