Shadows of Us

My sister sent me an e-mail attached with more than 80 old photos of our family. Late parents, brother, sisters, uncles, aunts and grand parents. The time span of their dates extended from late 1940s, before my parents got married, until early 90s. She collected the photos, that were taken in different occasions like family gatherings and summer vacations, from different sources. Some of them were found in my father’s desk after he passed away, and others were among mama’s belongings that she kept in a small leather bag.

A treasure of memories and happy moments.

I saw some of them before, but now I see them with new fresh eyes.

My father never smiled in the photos. Mama always showed affection either to papa or to us by holding our hands or leaning her head to touch the person next to her.

Even as young as being 4 or 5 years old, I posed for the photos and smiled.

One of my sisters, who hates now being photographed, avoided back then and despite her very young age looking to the camera.

I wonder who took my mother’s very early photos in her parents’ home and farm. He let her “pose” by looking up to the sky, or by diverting her eyes look to one side even if the shot was taken up front.

Is it a cliché to say people in the past were more elegant? That what caught my attention. Even on the beach smart dress prevailed

Some distant relatives in the photos, whom I barely remember, awaked up almost-forgotten situations and incidents, but other relatives, whose memory is as elusive as ghosts in dark alleys, remained only faces and names.

One photo particularly warmed up my heart. A lovely one in which mama, with her beautiful face, black hair and capturing smile, carried the toddler me in her arm in a shiny day in the garden of the family’s house. When I see this photo now I almost feel mama’s warmth and tenderness are still radiating from the photo.