Mobile telephones have significantly improved what we do and when we do things. The mobile telephone enables us to better navigate life: telephone calls can be made even when no landline telephone is available; contact information is available, eliminating the need to carry an address book; communication is readily available by way of emails and text messaging; bill paying and bank activities are easily transacted; directions and informational searches are easy to do; and, so much more can be done with the use of a mobile telephone. In spite of the many advantages provided by a mobile telephone, for me, there is one feature that has negatively impacted the warm and memorable lifestyles of many families. So, what is it to which I am referring? In order for us to be on the same page, I invite you to reflect on experiences you have had when visiting the homes of young folks.
Back in the day, the walls, mantles, and other pieces of furniture in family homes contained photos, displayed with pride, of family and special events. Today, young people constantly take photos that are saved and stored on their mobile telephones. Thanks to the mobile telephone, viewing one’s family photographs and special events simply requires pulling up photographs on their mobile telephone. Therefore, the homes may not have the many family and special event photographs on display as was the case back in the day.
I shall never forget the display of photographs in my parent’s home and the homes of other relatives. Quite often, the photographs enabled me to visit with those that have passed and are no longer in my life. Photographs displayed in this manner also provided an opportunity for me to see family members that I had never met. These photographs have also enabled me to return to the days when family members were young and energetic. I am also able to revisit times and activities that I cannot recall and recap how I was as a child.
These photos reflect life as it used to be and will always be vivid reminders of my past family life. Photographs of children smartly dressed, boys in short pants and little girls in stylish dresses are found in many homes. You must adore photographs of your children and grandchildren sitting on the lap of Santa Claus, in particular when the visit is with a Black Santa Claus. Photographs of your child’s elementary school classes or individual photographs from elementary school cause most of us to smile as we reflect on those precious years. High school and college graduation photographs are also very special. There is usually a photograph or two of the wedding of your son or daughter. Photographs of grandchildren are a must for display. Family gatherings at a family member’s birthday party or of a family reunion are usually prominently displayed. Photographs of family vacations to special places are another that are often evident. If someone in the family observed a 50th wedding anniversary, there is little doubt that a photograph reflecting this celebration is proudly displayed.
Aside from the subject matter of the photographs families displayed, there were some unique qualities to these old photographs. Sepia tone photographs were often chose over the standard black and white photos. Sometimes photographs were displayed in elaborate frames, other times those photographs may have been displayed in fancy photo albums. Then, there is the common theme of many old photographs; photographs showing men and women, boys and girls dressed in their Sunday best. One pose that seems to appear in many photographs is of a little boy seated on a bench with one leg crossed over the other. Occasionally, the photographs show children wearing homemade outfits that one might even remember who made it. In observing photographs from the past, you may have noticed that many styles today were prevalent in the past. For men, the one style that stands out is double-breasted suits. Check out the hair styles, in particular for women. How many of you would welcome a return to these times from back in the day?
Besides those appearing in the photographs that generate warm memories, many result in thoughts regarding the origin of the photographs. Most of the photographs in my parent’s home came from the photography shop on Lancaster Avenue, the shopping strip in my neighborhood. If you recall photography shops during my era, more specifically the ‘50s, you must have images of the photographer using a “view camera” with his head under a canopy. Many of these photographs were taken on Easter Sunday when the shop was open for this special day to take these memorable photographs. Perhaps you had someone in your family, as I had in my family, that was skilled in photography and took photographs of family members as a hobby. In my parent’s home, as well as in mine, there are photographs taken by one of my cousins. The photograph of my maternal grandmother and of my mother and her two sisters are some of my favorites. Back in the day, these special photographs appear in such a manner until one would think that they could walk off of the page into one’s life.
Interestingly, not all photographs were images of people. In my home, hanging on a wall with a collage of photographs is a photograph of the home in which my grandmother and her daughters lived when they were growing up in Walterboro, South Carolina, back in the ‘40s. The house appears to be a slight upgrade from a shack, but for me it is a precious sight and is my only memory of how my mother’s family lived, back in the day.
While photographs from mobile telephones can be invaluable in reflecting the history and story of one’s family life, nothing can be more intriguing and satisfying than to observe family photographs that appear in homes and were handled and, thankfully, preserved with great care. These photographs were in abundance in most households, back in the day.
