February 3, 2002
Family photos, memorabilia, good intentions
Today is the 23rd anniversary of my Dad’s death. I am now older than my dad when he died after many years of suffering with emphysema. The night before, he ate his favorite dessert—ambrosia fruit salad—and was cracking jokes and talking about how much better he was feeling. And then, in the small hours of the morning, he went peacefully in his own home with family all around. It was a good death.
Around this time last year, I thought about putting together a photobook about him—photos and images of the bits of paper that I found in the family archives I brought over to Ireland when we moved. Along with the certificates, the paperwork of the first mortgage to finance the building of our family home, the monthly budget, and other ephemera, there are letters to his mother, to my mother, little poems, lists of things to do, as well as philosophical musings. There are many photos, and in most of them he is making some kind of funny face. It was a rare photo taken when he was serious.
I’m thinking about that photobook project still. It think it’s time.
During the COVID lockdowns, projects like this were a godsend—I would spend whole days in my studio sorting, scanning, arranging family photobooks to share with my sisters and children. Powerful time travel, emotional and satisfying. That kind of time doesn’t seem to exist anymore. Every once in a while you’ll hear someone remark, “The lockdown was great… no noisy big trucks and cars… you could really hear the birds!” And, yes, the reason for the lockdown was serious and tragic. But the opportunity to have a natural quiet for months on end was a balm to the soul.
Having discovered the bliss of not being busy going everywhere and doing everything other people wanted of you, I’m wondering if there’s a way to get back to that time bubble. Is this something one can do on one’s own. Is there a name for it? I mean, “lockdown” sounds so menacing.
I believe this is something I will have to ponder. In the meantime, there’s no harm in poking around in the “archives”, doing a bit of scanning… and maybe finding some photos like these:
