The Photos

Today my job was to put photos in albums.
Why they were lying precariously in boxes
and not put in albums years ago
I couldn't tell you dear reader.
"Oh well just get on with it " I thought.......
my feelings were neutral at this point.

This task as I thought it
turned out to be a pilgrimage of sorts.....
not that I hadn't seen the photos
nor did memories flood back particularly.
The thing is it reminded me 
that Grandad found his way 
from slum dwelling, from hoplessness, from the thirties
to comfortable suburbia
to his huge garden , to security and health, to the sixties.

Although personally I have scraped by
my siblings and cousins
have done very well -
quite a few going to university.
How proud my other Grandad
would have been to know
that his great grandaughter
has a degree from Oxford :
he bought a pencil 
and chopped it in three
to teach his three kids to write.

The pride overwhelmed me today.
I feel more capable
I feel braver for the future
thinking of how
both sides of my family
endured two wars
though some were killed by bombing.

Fanciful I know
(for I am so inclined)
but could it be that
by touching the photos
recording their successes
I was touching their strength ? 
And maybe they were looking at me
while I was looking at them.......
what a lovely thought!


 

Tags: Hope, Inspirational, Happy,