Whirlwind Scrapbooking Weekend
I've heard that when people start working on something like a heritage album, the problem is generally too many pictures and not enough stories. Where was this picture taken? Who were these people standing next to my grandfather? How come they look so sad?
I have the exact opposite problem. It's funny to see pictures of the people and situations I've been hearing about my entire life, and realizing that it's in print in front of me.
For example, my grandmother was borderline scandalous. She had a funny life - she was the perfect June Cleaver mother, but she was always pushing the envelope. She was the president of the PTA while my mom and aunt were in school. She was also the first woman to wear slacks to a PTA meeting - SCANDALOUS.
She always had short hair, when all of the other mothers were wearing bobs and shoulder-length styles. She was from the east coast (Philadelphia), so she was accustomed to being a trend-setter, and she just didn't seem to care. Remember that song "The Harper Valley PTA?" That was one of her favorite songs.
At the same time, their home life was less-than-ordeal. I know that my grandfather was very unhappy in his marriage for a long time, and ended up eventually just picking up and leaving one day. I can see traces of that in their pictures - perfect family, perfect clothes, perfect smiles; but when you realize what's really going on, you can see the darkness underneath the facade.
It's a very melancholy feeling to realize that this seemingly happy family is, unbeknownst to them, on the verge of falling apart.
I have the exact opposite problem. It's funny to see pictures of the people and situations I've been hearing about my entire life, and realizing that it's in print in front of me.
For example, my grandmother was borderline scandalous. She had a funny life - she was the perfect June Cleaver mother, but she was always pushing the envelope. She was the president of the PTA while my mom and aunt were in school. She was also the first woman to wear slacks to a PTA meeting - SCANDALOUS.
She always had short hair, when all of the other mothers were wearing bobs and shoulder-length styles. She was from the east coast (Philadelphia), so she was accustomed to being a trend-setter, and she just didn't seem to care. Remember that song "The Harper Valley PTA?" That was one of her favorite songs.
At the same time, their home life was less-than-ordeal. I know that my grandfather was very unhappy in his marriage for a long time, and ended up eventually just picking up and leaving one day. I can see traces of that in their pictures - perfect family, perfect clothes, perfect smiles; but when you realize what's really going on, you can see the darkness underneath the facade.
It's a very melancholy feeling to realize that this seemingly happy family is, unbeknownst to them, on the verge of falling apart.
posted by SevenHappyScrappers at 6:35 PM
2 Comments:
Hindsight is 20/20, isn't it? I love the "bad side" of your family, underneath the "look". I am sure that all of us have stories about our families as well, that were/are "hidden" from view.
Good luck with the new project!
I think a lot of peoples lives are exactly the way your grandparents were. So sad but the daily stresses of living seem to do that to marriages. I always love it when you hear about people who have been married for 40, 50, or 60 years because you know they made it over the rough patches and endured. After that many years...you know there were plenty of rough patches!
Your grandma sounds like a very funny lady!
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