Picture of the day - February 13, 2007

Reflections Of An Undying Love

Old photographs have the power to help us remember the past, understand the present, and give us hope for the future. A few minutes spent sifting through a stack of wrinkled and faded family pictures can help us refresh those special memories of loves ones who have passed on as well as acquaint us with the ones we never had the opportunity to know back when they were helping build the foundation of our heritage. Family pictures are more than just images on paper - they help us define where we came from and who we are. And so it is with today's picture. A while back, Cheria and I were visiting with Aunt Eleanor and Uncle Jerry when Eleanor came down the steps carrying a box of old "Cook Family" photos. We spent quite some time looking at those wonderful pictures, and on several occasions I noticed tears running down her face as old memories of Granny and Granddaddy Cook, Uncle Clayton, Uncle Earnest and her other "brothers" and "sisters" came flooding back as she told me about the people depicted in the photos. Every one of the pictures in that dusty old box brought back precious memories for Cheria, but the one featured above probably evoked as much emotion as any of them. You see, the little girl brushing her hair while looking into the mirror was a very young Cheria, and the lady proudly looking on was her "Aunt Cel"... Aunt Cel (pronounced like seal) didn't come into Cheria's life until she fell in love with Cheria's Uncle Earnest, but the deep love they had for one another couldn't have been any stronger if they had been "blood relatives". Even after Earnest and Cel moved their young family to Ohio, Cheria and Cel remained very close to one another, routinely talking on the phone and visiting one another as often as they could. Aunt Cel went to be with the Lord a little over a year ago, but Cheria's love for her hasn't faded a bit. They were much more than "family" - they were the best of friends. Someday they'll be reunited in the presence of God, but until that glorious day arrives Cheria can look at those old photographs and reflect on how they shared their lives and undying love with one another. Time marches on, but our precious family pictures serve as a bridge that spans the years and keeps us all connected to our past and leads us toward a brighter day.   "Picture of the Day" archives             Submit a photo of your own!            Why I publish the "Picture of the Day"