A little and a lot ...

Hello! Alexa, simple scrapbooker, here - and welcome!

I nearly missed it. If my camera hadn't been sitting on my parent's hall table, I would have done. As shots go, it's not pretty or attractive in the least. It's not even well lit, or nicely composed, and it's a tad out out focus due to the speed with which I pressed the shutter. But it captures a moment I nearly missed, and a story that would not have been told. And it's such an iconic one - I really want my children, and theirs, to know something of who their grandfather was. That three years after having broken his hip and having it replaced under an epidural, two years after having been back in surgery twice, one year after another medical emergency which saw him in intensive care, here he is on a ladder...

(Journalling reads:

“Can you give me a hand?”, you said. “I just want to sort out some books.” “Of course, Dad,”, I replied. “Where are they?” “Up in the loft”, you said. “Yep, I’ll bring them down”, I offered. “Well, actually”, you countered, looking over your shoulder and lowering your voice, “I think I’ll just have a look myself while your mother is making the lunch.” “YOU want to go up?” I asked, trying hard to keep the anxiety out of my voice. “Yes,” came the mild reply.“Might be a good moment, don’t you think?”. I swallowed hard, trying not to contemplate the possible consequences. “Of course. Understood”, I replied, reaching for the wooden pole to lower the ladder. ”I’ll need about twenty minutes”, you said. “Think you can keep your mother occupied in the kitchen?”. “Yep, no problem, Dad”. As I looked back, this is what I saw. Wow. Life at 86.")

Some simple background paper and letters, a column of journalling, and a short row of full stops along the top in the same squared-off font as the '@' (to balance the heavier squares behind the letters below) and it was done. Just an everyday layout that tells ... I was going to say, a story - but it can do more. This single photo and a clutch of words offers a glimpse of something of my Dad's character, my parents' relationship, and mine with each of them. No amount of artistically posed photos would have done that. So, don't forget the little moments, the seemingly inconsequential ones, the ones which encapsulate so much more than may at first be apparent. And add a little snapshot in words that says far more than any amount of heartfelt outpourings could convey.

Oh, and always make sure you have a camera sitting around!

Thank-you for visiting today. :)

Comments

[Julie Kirk]

Wonderful as always Alexa.

It made me think of my Grandma who always kept active and used the term 'old people' to refer to, quite often, people who were younger than her at 86!

Yours was a great moment to capture and it's so good that you shared it with us. xx

[Mandy]

How brilliant to capture this photo and tell the story behind it. I love this kind of scrapping & should do more of it...thanks for the inspiring post!

[Eleanor]

I wish I would never take another posed photo again, ever. But some people have the art of capturing essence in an instant, and some don't. Sigh. Simply fantastic Alexa.
E
xx

[Sian]

It's so essential to make the effort to run for the camera and not let a little moment like this go. A perfect "capture" Alexa; and a point very well made. And what an excellent Grandfather

[claireliz]

Alexa that is a fab photo & a fab story, my grampa used to pull the same "keep your Nan occupied" trick.
x

[Lorraine]

That's super. What a lovely moment to capture.

[Carmen]

It's things like this that make me more determined than ever to start scrapping again. Brilliant page - your Father sounds like such a character.

[Lynne V]

Lovely, what a lovely memory to have captured.

[Michele]

Fantastic photo and brilliantly told story, as always! You have a real knack for capturing the moments that most of us wouldn't think to scrap, but are so important to remember.x