Memory Lane

I spent a couple evenings over the holidays digging through some old family videos.  While I'm pretty sure that there are a number of embarrassing moments recorded that I would NOT want leaked out into the InterWeb, the whole experience of looking back over fun events and moments like that was something to be cherished.

Being able to see the faces and hear the voices of relatives who have passed on touched me deeply.  It was so special to catch a moment here and there that was entirely "them" altogether... My Grandpa laying on the living room floor after a big meal as he would often do.  My Grandma sitting on the beach conducting an experiment to see what would attract or repel the horseflies.  She had applied cologne and vinegar and something else on different bits of skin and was observing the results.  My uncle's deep raspy voice, so much a younger version of my Grandpa.  My other Grandpa's camera-side observations of his grandchildren waterskiing.

And the fashion -- or lack of it -- in that time.  Good grief.  The Princess had a good laugh or two over what her mother and uncle were wearing.  She was riveted to some footage of my old youth group house parties, seeing her mama at her own age and all of the crazy fun we had.  And was maybe a little scandalized seeing one of my best friends -- a woman she now calls "aunty" -- playing her turns a little too temptingly at "Darling if You Love Me".  Oh yes, it was all caught on video!  All in good fun!  I think The Kid tripped out the most, realizing that I had a "whole life" before any of them came along.  Imagine that!!

Myself, I loved seeing all the faces of people who were once such a big part of my life and reliving some great family times and special moments with special people.  Seeing my old youth group friends made me think that organizing a reunion was in order.  Might just have to get on that. 

And I have to admit that I was made a little sad by the fact that my own family doesn't have a lot of video records.  I don't know exactly why -- maybe it's because the technology was so new at the time that we seemed to be excited to pull out the old camera and record stuff; whereas now we just take it for granted and forget that it's as handy as the push of a cell phone button.  Whatever the reason, I vowed to start getting some great footage of the years to come so that my kids have memories to look back on, as well.