I once visited an elderly lady in her home. I will never forget the walls of her lounge where she spent almost all of her time unable to get around like she used to. She lived a full life when she was physically able being a missionary with her family in Hong Kong and Singapore. The walls of her lounge were adorned with photos, paintings, prints, fabrics, landscapes and Chinese texts. Even when she was too tired to read, listen or watch and had no visitors to talk to, her heart must have been warmed by all the memories that those images invoked.
My Granny turned 92 this month and in her words she has had ‘too many birthdays’. Her body is not as strong as it used to be and her memory is letting her down. She loves to travel and was fortunate enough to travel the world with her late husband, when she was physically able. Now when she is too tired to read, listen or watch and has no visitors to talk to she pours over her old photos albums, reliving Kenyan safaris, the Canadian Rockies or the Australian bush.
Often I fall behind posting photos on my blog and often I wonder if there is any point in doing it at all but I keep going because I can’t help remembering Grace with her memories on the wall or Granny Jean with her memories stored in albums. Memories which their natural, aged minds would have long forgotten are brought back to life and time that passes so slowly for them these days passes quicker as they remember!
So here’s to storing memories of the everyday!
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