“Exploring life through fiction, together.”

Boxes of slides crown my bookcases. Thousands of photos trapped in fragile film that are waiting to be digitised. Flick through and you can watch my dad grow into a man; you can see my grandparents' wedding, and their honeymoon; you see me as a chubby baby. Hundreds of faces join theirs across the years. Some we can recognise, others are lost in time.

Fiction Bite - In the depths of the attic

He blew the dust off and coughed as it engulfed him in a grey cloud. Once it settled, he slit the yellowing tape and unfolded the flaps. He pulled out scrunched newspapers and read the ancient headlines.

Beneath was a stack of videos, their labels smiling in handwritten letters. Their honeymoon to France, Helen’s birth, Jonny’s first day at school, and his last. Vera had badgered him to get them down so many times. Seemed silly to finally do it now she was gone. But they’d let him hear her laugh again. And he needed that. More than anything.

Quote of the Week

“I used to think that I could never lose anyone if I photographed them enough. In fact, my pictures show me how much I’ve lost.” ― Nan Goldin

Book of the month

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer

Final Words

But they’re captured in these slides like bugs in amber, waiting for a curious soul to peer back through time. It’s strange watching your grandparents grow, shot by shot, from student to professional to parent to grandparent. They jump from one to the next, leaping months or years between images. My children (and, God willing, grandchildren) will get a constant stream, preloaded to the cloud. What will they see when they look back? Will I reflect patience and virtue across the decades? Or will I show reactionary behaviour and short term thinking? Will I lose my hair? Will I lose my smile? Will they see a life well lived? Not necessarily full of holidays and adventure seeking, but a life that enriches those around me. A life of service. I hope so.

What’s in your family's photo album? Is it inspiring or a warning? And what images would you like to leave for future generations? Would you be willing to hit reply? It’d make my day to hear from you.

With Love,

Josiah



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