A Precious Piece of Family History

--by wayfarer, posted Jun 23, 2008

I'm a bit of a family historian (not that we have much of a history outside coal mining in Scotland and farming in Ireland.)

One of my most precious possessions, which probably dates from about 1915, is a family portrait. My great grandmother sits on a chair all stiff and formal with her brood of babies around her feet and on her knees. My great grandfather stands behind her the picture of authorirty, but he is actually standing on "tin" legs after an accident with a railway truck.

One-by-one the people in the picture left this world. My gran died aged 82, but in this picture she is about 3 forever. One of her sisters, Lena, outlived all her siblings by quite some way.

Going to visit Lena not long before she died it occurred to me that she might not have seen this picture for many decades. So I made a copy, framed it and took it along as a gift. Unfortunately, by this time she had only the vaguest recollection of who I was and hardly seemed to notice the gift. But her son told me she really liked it and had it placed on her bedside cabinet.

Shortly afterwards she left this world, aged 94, and I was told the family photo was on her bed when she died. She was the last of that group of eleven to go and I like to think, in those last minutes, the family called her home.

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Posted by wayfarer
Jun 23, 2008
Comments (19)

Readers Comments

perseverance wrote: memories and great memories keep us going and make this life such a great thing Thanks

AURELIA wrote: When we come to the final stages of our life, it is the memories that we grasp onto and relive over and over in our minds. It is also what we leave behind...Photographs and Memories -Jim CRoce song. Your Gran and greatAunt Lena live on through you David. That was so nice of you to help her have some peace and happy thoughts at the end like that. :) ~Aurelia

JuneBug wrote: David, you did such a beautiful thing by making a copy of the picture for Lena.I am sure she embraced it longing to go with her family who probably met her with open arms...You have a heart of gold! - June

brighteyes wrote: It's the LOVE that will be remembered and that energy lives on and on ...

Such a loving, compassionate soul you are and keep sharing your stories....many read like me and are touched.

lmil1954 wrote: Hey Wayfarer, nice thought and thank you for sharing it. That was truly a wonderful gift, stuff like that is what love is made of! Linda:)

Lovebug wrote: You are indeed a grand soul, and I am more than happy to learn from you

cabbage wrote: What a precious gift and I'm sure it meant the world to have it beside her as she was leaving this Earth. Many hugs to you.

liztree wrote: That is so sweet.

arnee wrote: Beautiful. Thank you for sharing. The photo might have been very old, but it is still a treasure. What you did was very sweet. I am sure Lena was very happy because someone like you preserved a beautiful memory, a piece of life's most precious treasure- family. :)

sethi wrote: Her eyes would have become misty seeing the family portrait. Right now , she is smiling from heaven and giving you her blessings. Thanks for sharing.

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