What does this mean? For many of you it will have different meanings. I feel I talk a lot about the story a photo tells and what they mean for future generations. This morning I woke with this on my mind, it is barely 8 am I have been up for 2 hours (this is very unusual for me) and I am at the computer typing.

You see 38 years ago today my world crashed as we were told my Dad had passed away. I was two and a bit weeks shy of turning 15. Although I knew at the time my life would never be the same, losing a parent at any age is hard, those who have experienced this know only too well.

All of a sudden all we have is the memories and photos. Memories and photos to be cherished for life. For many years I went to bed crying and hugging a photo of my Dad. That photo has been yelled at on more than one occasion, because he left me, how dare he only leave me with my memories and a few photos. You see my Dad didn’t like to have his photo taken. It wasn’t always that way, recently I sat with my Mum and went through old photos, Mum remembered and told me stories I don’t think I had heard before. It was the photos that jogged her memory.

There were beautiful photos of my Mum and Dad from when they first met, photos of small moments, photos that told a story. From these photos, I learnt so much. My parents were so young and so in love. They loved the beach, they loved recording moments. You can see looking at the photos just how much they loved each other, it’s in their eyes. I also learnt that both my parents could take a good photo, especially my Mum. Here are a few of my favourites, can you see the story they tell?

These images take me back in time, they tell me a little story about my parents. Photos I value and cherish.

There are a lot of photos of my siblings, family times away, holidays, children playing. I had to smile as my Mum told me about this photo, I am in it but they didn’t know! I was a surprise baby, conceived on a family holiday. If it hadn’t have been for this photo and asking my Mum to look at the photos I never would have known.

Everything goes back to the value and valuing photos. Some of us have a photographic memory, I used to have a very good memory. I could once tell you every phone number I had ever had, now as I age I rely on photos. I sit and look back, remember and smile.

Sadly I don’t have many of my Dad in later years. Dad never wanted to be in photos, I’m sure one of his favourite sayings was he had his fat shirt on. Yes the buttons sometimes gapped a little where they just met, but you know what I didn’t care, I still don’t now. But oddly enough it’s one of the things that I learnt from my Dad that I wish I didn’t, I don’t exist in photos with our children. I was always going to lose weight, look better, there would always be another time, but that time didn’t come. I wonder now looking back if it was the same for my Dad. At the very young age of 46 there was suddenly no more I will be in photos when I lose weight, because he was sadly no longer here.

THIS! This is why I talk so much about memories and moments in time. Sadly I know only too well what it is like to not have those photos, those moments to look back on in years to come. When I say I want you to exist in photos I really do. I know what it is to love someone so much and to only have them in a few photos. I know what it is like to look back and wish. Not only do I wish I had photos of my Dad and I, but I also wish I had more photos of myself and our children.

An accidental photo, that turned into one of the only photos I have with my siblings and Dad. My siblings have quite a few of them selves with Dad, being the youngest of 5 I missed out a little. I’m the little cutie that looks a like a boy….

This is by no means a blog post to lecture you on the importance of existing in photos, why photos should be valued. It is a little insight into my world, to tell you why I value photos so very much and why I create memories, why I want to tell your story at this moment in time.

There is only one life we live, our lives are a story, a story to look back on in years to come and remember. Not every moment is perfect, sometimes looking back hurts, but mostly looking back will bring so much joy. Please exist in photos for your children, grandchildren and future generations so that they can look back, remember and smile.

A little insight of me and why when I talk memories of moments in time are to be cherished, I don’t just say it I really mean it.

It’s now 11:30 I have spent all this time writing, looking at photos and crying, but I have also smiled, looking through photos and remembering the stories my Mum has told me. Knowing that it was only a matter of months ago I sat and watched my Mum’s face light up as she looked at photos and remembered times gone by. Our families story through photos.

Today I choose to celebrate and honour my Dad, by writing this blog post I hope that I inspire you to exist in photos.

My beautiful Dad - Hein (known as Harry) van Brummelen 25 May 1936 - 10th September 1982

Gone way too young, never forgotten. I love you Dad x x

The Value of a Photo