Stangers In a Box

[Glenda]

I thought this was so neat so I wanted to share.



STRANGERS IN THE BOX

COME, LOOK WITH ME INSIDE THIS DRAWER
IN THIS BOX I'VE OFTEN SEEN,

AT THE PICTURES, BLACK AND WHITE
FACES PROUD, STILL, SERENE.

I WISH I KNEW THE PEOPLE
THESE STRANGERS IN THE BOX,

THEIR NAMES AND ALL THEIR MEMORIES
ARE LOST AMONG MY SOCKS.

I WONDER WHAT THEIR LIVES WERE LIKE
HOW DID THEY SPEND THEIR DAYS?

WHAT ABOUT THEIR SPECIAL TIMES?

I'LL NEVER KNOW THEIR WAYS.

IF ONLY SOMEONE HAD TAKEN TIME
TO TELL WHO, WHAT, OR WHEN,

THESE FACES OF MY HERITAGE
WOULD COME TO LIFE AGAIN.

COULD THIS BECOME THE FATE
OF PICTURES WE TAKE TODAY?

THE FACES AND MEMORIES
SOMEDAY TO BE PASSED AWAY?

MAKE TIME TO SAVE YOUR STORIES
SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN IT KNOCKS,

OR SOMEDAY YOU AND YOURS COULD BE
THE STRANGERS IN THE BOX.

ANONYMOUS AUTHOR

 

[Guest]

Wwwoooo.....

Holy cow is this "so true". I remember in 2003, when my aunt and I went through Gram's old scrapbooks and pictures, we found quite a few pictures and articles about people we didn't know. It was frustrating to realize that whatever reasons Gram had saved those items were lost forever, and we both wished we had taken the time while Gram was still around to go through those things and take notes.....

*sighs*



Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker
MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
chdQB = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/quilt.html
"Death tore the pages all away" ... Kenney Chesney ... 'Who You'd Be Today'

 

[Christina L]

Glenda -

Glenda -

This is very true, but if you have children and grandchildren, hopefully the photos WILL tell a story (that has been passed down through the generations).

If Wayne and I don't adopt, I have asked my sister to give our photo albums to her daughter (won't she love THAT - ha!). I just can't bear the thought of all of my/our photos being thrown away in a trash heap. I know - I know - this old world is not what it's all about, but...

Wayne and I have had discussions about this type of thing - we love to go antiquing and you see a LOT of old photos of people in antique shops and we have joked that maybe someday our photos will be bought by someone as an antique. Pretty wild to think about. We recently bought an antique wedding photo of a couple and two people standing up with them - you just wonder who they were and what their story was.

Anyway, thanks for posting this. It was very sweet.

Christina L

 

[terryj]

I have nine grandchildren and the 10 year old granddaughter is sentimental just like me. Everytime she is over she wants to go through all my old pictures and see Mawmaw and Pawpaw when they were young. I have tried to label them with names and dates to the best of my ability and in my bible there is a note that states who gets all my personal effects. Everyone agrees she should get the pictures and cookbooks because her interests are just like mine. I don't think she would ever throw them out.

 

[hensylee]

My brother passed on our family album that's been around before I was born. He gave it to the 'larger' family for use at family reunions. Someone told me about it, I had a fit, regained it. It's falling apart, it's so old - and had those black pages that you stick the pictures on. We don't know some of those people, either, but we have them right here and can hold them close. It's still a link to our parents - and grandparents - and, well, you know.....

 

[Guest]

*nods*

Yeah ... I know, Ann, I know.

*sighs*

This past weekend, I happened to grab some time to start going through things in my room ... happened upon some "old" (10-11 years old, that is) pictures ... and was amazed at how far I (and others) had come in those intervening years. And, yet, saddened to realize that some of those people I've lost contact with.....

Yeah...I hate losing contact with people .