Friday, December 30, 2011

Keeper of the Memories...


I have a memory room.

No, it’s not the space in my head where each remembrance is filed away under categories titled brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews or friends and occasions.

Rather it is the modest area in our bonus room where I construct and create the stories of my family’s years since the birth of Nicholas. I feel it’s vital for him to have recollections of the persons who are intricately woven through the cloth of life.

However, since arriving home from Ohio where I inherited six crates of aged slides, photographs and newspaper articles that belonged to my Grandmother, at present I am the keeper of memories. I take this responsibility seriously-as did my Grandma. 


Grandma was born in 1900 and it was a rare occurrence to witness her without a camera, presumably an old Kodak would be my guess. Every family happening and episode was chronicled through photos and slides and now each is in my possession.

Although Grandma died in 1986 leaving behind a bitter divisive family –consequences of greed and selfishness; the multitude of snapshots account for every person in my childhood devoid of experiences of divorce, death, or disconnect.

Therefore I am immersed in my past which belies a surplus of sentiments-many blogs in the making I presume. It commenced with a drive by of the farmhouse in December where my Grandparents settled and stumbled upon much of my upbringing as it was the hideaway from the cruel part of my early days.
the farm house on Hepler Road
the side of the house

For those moments I breathed the fragrance of the hay and envisioned soaring down the hill on a sled with my siblings landing in the icy chilly creek below. I surveyed the patch under the buckeye trees where my cousins and I could acquire 25 cents a grocery bag for the nuts. I inspected the porches where the dogs Yippy, Queenie and Rover rested on any given warm summer day.
Entangled in my head are the memories...so if you are looking for me, I'm in my room with an old fashioned slide projector reuniting the people of my past.


 “The things which the child loves remain in the domain of the heart until old age. The most beautiful thing in life is that our souls remaining over the places where we once enjoyed ourselves.”

by Kahlil Gibran

20 comments:

turquoisemoon said...

You've got a major chore ahead of you... but, oooh wow, just look at that farmhouse.

Sylvia K said...

You do indeed have a major chore ahead of you! Lots of work ahead, lots of memories of all kinds! You have your work cut out for you!! Wishing you and your family a most wonderful and Happy New Year! Take care!

Sylvia

Jeanie said...

It sounds like you have an amazing walk down memory lane in front of you. I'm thinking it will be a hard job but that it won't seem much like work once you get into it.

mamahasspoken said...

Have fun with all those pictures! I had fun doing the same thing when my mother passed away. Sadly, I didn't know who half the people were in the pictures and there was no one to tell me who they were. I hope this doesn't happen to you....

MunirGhiasuddin said...

That farmhouse is quant. Our memories are a very big part of our lives. However, it is nice to harvest the ones that nurture. It is hard to erase the bad ones, but I for one, am trying to help convince people to make new good memories that can work as a balm for the hurtful ones. I hope that I have conveyed in English, what I am thinking in Hindi.
Happy New Year to you and your loved ones. Take care.

Linda Reeder said...

What a wonderful old farm house!
You have many hours, days and weeks of remembering ahead of you. Just don't forget to come up for air occasionally, take a walk outside, and return to the present day.

Julie Harward said...

An important work before you but not as important as your own life. Love the big old house! Happy New Year! :D

Betsy Banks Adams said...

OH what a treasure you got from your grandmother... I received almost the same thing from my mother (who was born in 1900 and died in 1991)...

Now--that I have time to work on the Genealogy, I wish that I had have taken time when I was younger to talk to Mom and others who were alive then.. It would make my job now so much easier...

SO--even if you don't have time to delve into your Family History now, at least TALK to those older ones who are still alive --and make notes. It will make your job much easier when you have time to work on it.... (said from someone who KNOWS!!!! ha)

Hugs,
Betsy

Ginny Hartzler said...

You are in fact the keeper of time and family lore. It is SO important to tell family stories over and over, so they can be passed on. Good job! And I hope you have a wonderful 2012!!!

Out on the prairie said...

What a fun set of memories, you are lucky to still have the slide projector.I shot slides until around 2003, the film was unique being able to buy low speeds like 15-75.

Old Kitty said...

What a great and noble responsibility! Oh but what memories to treasure for your boy. I'm glad you have a treasure trove of times where you were safe and happy. Take care
x

Arkansas Patti said...

Too often life stories pass with the keeper. How often have you had questions go unanswered for the person who knew, is no longer with us. Good to know you plan to keep the memories strong in your son.

Peggy K said...

Wow, what a monumental undertaking. And I can see how it will be filled with both joyful and bittersweet memories.

Can't wait to hear of your journey. Just vow to post at least once a week, even if it's to tell us that you've run into a wall of emotion and it's not easy to put it into words.

I am in awe of what you are about to take on. Good luck. And Happy New Year!!! I think it'll be a good one for you!

Oklahoma Granny said...

I know it's quite an undertaking but you are SO lucky to have those photographs! Your grandparents farmhouse was magnificient.

Wanda's Wings said...

Way cool! Memories are so important.

Catherine said...

Goodness - sounds like you are going to be a busy gal - but very worth it!
Happy New Year!
xo Catherine

Jules said...

We the keepers of memories and trustees of ensuring future knowledge. What a weight. :) They make a device to convert those slides to jpeg's.
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

Connie said...

I've spent a lot of time during the last year going through several boxes of photos from my mother. It's quite a task, but the memories are so precious. Happy New Year to you, Tracy. Wishing you all good things in 2012. :)

Nancy said...

If the two photos you featured today are just a glimpse of what is in those boxes -- I hope you can share a fraction of the contents with us over the coming year, Tracy.

:) xoxo

Corine Moore said...

Oh gosh... what a beautiful spot in your home and heart... sigh. I think I should create a spot like that, too. Beautiful! :) Thank you for sharing this!
Corine :D