Pictures = Memories

Isn’t it funny how you see a picture and it brings back a flood of memories?

Take for instance the picture above. It was taken in Payette, Idaho, at a park me and my brother spent endless hours at during our childhood. The same park is where my head start building was, where at the age of three I was enrolled in order to learn to speak. Up until then my older brother spoke for me so I didn’t need to do it. But some would say I haven’t shut up since which is okay with me. Because having a voice is the most important thing, I’ve learned from all my 37 years of life.

But back to the picture, this one picture brings back so many memories, good and bad. I remember walking down the street and my brother telling my mom, “mama, sissy bleeding.” You see back then I had nose bleeds on a regular basis. I’d wake up with a blood-soaked pillow that looked like a crime scene happened in my bed, or be out playing with my brother or friends and all of a sudden with no provocation, my nose would start bleeding. The doctor would just tell my mom, it was my body’s way of getting rid of excess blood. Now that I’m older, I haven’t had an unprovoked nose bleed for a few years. But this picture reminded me of the time when I did. The time of my life where a nose bleed that seemed to never end felt like I was going to die. It was one of the scariest things to a 3-6-year-old and probably even scarier for my mother.

This one picture also reminded me of the slide that almost took off my pinky toe. As a young child I tried to go the opposite direction of the slide and well sometimes I tried to do it barefoot. Let me tell you it was not a smart idea. But I still remember the day I tried doing it. I got about half way up and I lost my footing and went down. But as I was going down my pinky toe on my left foot got sliced by a piece of metal. And when I say sliced, I mean almost completely sliced off! Down to the bone! But my mom’s boyfriend, Richard, at the time doctored me up and sowed it back on! Luckily it didn’t need any real stitches or even an ER visit. But it was scary and you guessed it, lots of blood!

And do I need to mention how hot that slide got during the summers under the Idaho sun! Back then the trees were not there! The slide was out in the middle of an open area with no shade! Yeah, that was a memory all of its own. Kids these days will never know the pain you felt going down the slide for the first time until you feel the burning sensation and decide to put water on the slide to help cool it! But even the water didn’t help! It just evaporated. But it was worth it! I still remember the burn, 31 years later. 

I remember the apartment we lived in, that we’d walk from almost every day. I remember the root beer floats and hot fudge sundaes we had from A&W around the corner. I remember everything about those days from this one photo. And I was very little I think we moved from the area when I was seven or so. Not really sure, just know I was about six when the toe incident happened.

I also remember on sick days my mom would take us to McDonald’s! See when you are raised by a single mom, it’s the little things like getting a happy meal that makes even the crappiest days great! And my brother loved when we got McDonald’s because I could never finish my hamburger so he always got two! And when we went to King’s table, I remember seeing my mom get flustered cause my brother got my mom’s money’s worth! It was after all all-you-could-eat! And Josh took full advantage of that!

It’s days like this, when you receive a simple photo from your brother that brings back all the memories in one simple shot. Makes my heart swell and so very grateful for the places I’ve been and the many places I see myself going! Life is truly an adventure and this slide was part of that adventure.

I hope everyone reading this has at least one picture they can look back on and feel all the memories. Good and bad. But try focusing on the good ones because right now, in the world we live in today, there is enough bad to go around! I remember so much more from this photo but unfortunately, they weren’t happy memories, so I choose to focus on happy times.

Think back on the happy moments of your life and please share below! I’d love to hear about them and maybe even see the picture that brings those happy thoughts to your mind.

God Bless!