Just found this picture of me back from when I was I was about 3 or 4 years old. I look a little bit like a Filipina Strawberry Shortcake but Strawberry and her friends didn’t come along until 1980 so I was years ahead of the rage. Besides I wasn’t into them anyhow.
What’s interesting to me is that I actually have a memory of posing for this picture; I remember my mother having me stand in front of our church, look into the sun, and smile. In fact I have lots of memories from my early childhood, some from while I was still in a diaper. I believe this is directly related to the fact that my I have hundreds of pictures of my childhood.
As I’ve posted before, my mom took pictures of everything, not just the “big days” like my first haircut or Christmas. There are pictures of everyday life: me as a toddler playing with Tupperware® bowls, posing with classmates in preschool, playing with dolls (that one was a shocker!), and eating popsicles with my playmates. One of my favorite pictures is of me sitting on my mother’s lap as she’s feeding me a breakfast of white toast mopping up the plate of eggs over easy with ketchup — I’m happy and it’s just an average morning.
I used to balk at my mother when she would have me stand and pose. It could have been and usually was in front of almost anything: our church, a sign, her recently bloomed garden, or our numerous jalopies. I thought the pictures were beyond mundane. Now I understand that she saved me precious moments from my own life that I would have lost. I have pictures that have helped me to retain memories and perceptions that normally would have faded. Somewhere still inside of me is that little girl in her long, frilly dress and fancy hat still smiling for her mama.