Slide For More

Recently I took on the job of sorting through all my mother's old slides. Taken between 1958-1988, they are a record of both my parents' work in Brazil, and my childhood. The question was what to do with these forgotten images that sat taking up space in a spare bedroom.
The first task was to go through each box, view each slide, and then decide which were worth saving by digitizing them. Viewing slides is not that easy these days. I had to dig out my grandfather's old projector and insert each slide in, upside down.

This old dinosaur was quite capable of both melting and eating the slides, but it served its purpose. It quickly told me which pictures were too dark, discolored or blackened with mold to be viewed again. It was easy to discard those slides. But then an image like the group above would jump out of the wall and flood me with memories and feeling. My mother often joined in my project, especially when I had difficulty identifying someone or a place. She could launch into the story behind each photo. Which made me wonder if it would be impossible to discard any of these slides. Didn't the story behind each one merit remembering, retelling to my children and my children's children?
But then I put up a slide that needed no retelling.  It was a picture of my mother cooking at her large wood-burning stove with my little brother along side. She was stirring a pot and he was looking up in anticipation. My mother was speechless for a moment.  Then she said, "This brings back so many good memories."  But they didn't need to be told, or explained in words, ...the picture said it all.
I had my answer.  I would save all the slides that spoke to me without the need of a caption, lengthy explanation or story.  They would stand alone.

I called on my mother sometimes just for a second opinion. She enjoyed looking upon those whom she had lost over the years and said, "So nice to remember, but you don't need to keep that one." I realized that she didn't need any of these slides to help her remember. These people were all in her heart. The slides were for me, and my brothers.  We were the ones who needed time to appreciate those years in Brazil and holidays with family in England. And one day, hopefully, our children will appreciate these images that speak of an incredible life.

In the words of Mma Ramotswe:

"The past is being remembered, 

and forgotten, 

in just the right measure." 

( Alexander Mccall Smith)