Family Reunions

My family spent this past Saturday at a Hill Family Reunion. I must say that it was quite the eye opener for me, not by way of what the oldies but goodies were saying (some of them actually thought that Brian was my Dad), but by what they couldn't remember. You see, Brian's Granny loaned Brian three VERY old pictures of past family members. Brian very faithfully made copies and returned the originals to Granny at the reunion.

I thought that since there were so many Hills at one spot, the reunion would be a perfect place to jot down a few names and recollections that were in those three pictures. My heart hurts just thinking back on how long it took to name gather a few details, and we're still left guessing at who a few are. Grandparents were spotted immediately in those pictures, but their names are now forgotten. Long-departed aunts and uncles were recognized, but very little information could be recollected about them.

I left the reunion saddened that all we have left of previous family members are the pictures that they stood for all those many years ago. And it got me to thinking, I know about my parents, but do my own children? And many years from now, will they remember their own grandparents names, or remember the stories that I told them? Will they be able to look at a picture have all the details readily available to them?

So I am now on a quest. Sometime between Church, my work, college classes, family, and Keli-time, I will go back through every photo I have and make some notes. Not a detailed journal, just the basic info. of names-dates-places-etc. I don't want to fall into the same "missing" category years from now that I experienced at the family reunion.