This is a lesson in what not to do.
The picture is sticking out of the book for this illustration. I couldn’t actually see it until the book was opened to where it had been placed.
In the fall of 2015 my great-aunt sent me a picture of my late mother and my grandmother. I had never seen the picture before and was fortunate to get it.
I immediately took a picture of the photograph with my phone in order to share and preserve it. I was busy at the time and instead of putting it with my other old photographs and ephemera, I tucked it firmly in what I thought would be a safe place.
a book
What could be a safer place to tuck a genealogy photograph than my copy of Evidence Explained? That way the picture would not get lost and would be protected by the book. Real life has a way of thrusting more immediate priorities in our faces and I immediately forgot about the photograph.
A few months later while reviewing iamges I had uploaded to Dropbox, I saw my photo of the photograph and decided that would be an excellent time to put it where it belonged: with my other photographs. Before I forgot again.
Except it was not in the book where I was certain I had placed it. I knew it was in my copy of Evidence Explained which usually sits fairly close to my computer in a safe, protected place. EE is a fat, thick tome and would protect the picture. Certainly the genealogy gods would look kindly on me for storing a photograph in such a place. Paging through the book made no difference. The picture was not to be found. I resigned myself to the fact that it had fallen out unnoticed and was probably lost. I was glad that I had taken a picture of it with my phone the minute I opened the envelope it was mailed in.
I was frustrated. It was the only picture I had of my Mother as a young child with her mother. While I’m not certain who took the original picture. Based upon the surroundings it was most likely taken at my great-grandparents’ farm east of Basco, Illinois. For some reason there was not a copy of it with my Grandmother’s things. I was just fortunate that my great-aunt sent it to me.
Today I found it.
In a book.
While looking for something totally unrelated, I “rediscovered” my copy of A Nationality of Her Own. I decided it would make good reading material while proctoring final exams. I knew I had not actually finished the last few chapters of the book.
While leafing through the book, there it was. It would have jumped out at me had it not been tucked firmly away, right where I put it. There was a younger version of my mother looking right at me. I swear she was rolling her eyes at me in her typical way.
Except at that age she never dreamed a child of her own one day would see that picture and have a reaction that was a combination of tearing up and swearing.
The tearing up was at the memory of my mother. The swearing was at myself. I need to make that clear.
And there’s a few other things to make clear as well:
- Never trust your memory–I was reminded of this.
- Don’t wait to put things away–I was reminded of this as well.
- Make images of things while you have them–I was fortunate to have done this.
- Don’t be afraid to share your mistakes with others–we can all learn from them.
Now I’m off to read the last part of the book.
Elisabeth Thorsell says:
Hi Michael, good story! Many years ago, when one of our sons was baptized, his uncle gave him a treasury bond. And when we left home for a vacation we put it in a book in a safe place, and forgot all about it.
Years later we moved to another town, and when we put books in a book case, something fell out of a book, and that was the forgotten treasury bond. The book we had used for hiding it was called “Mr. Arne’s money” by Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf!
mjnrootdig says:
An ironic title for a book in which the bond was placed.
Patty Gilbert says:
So appreciate ur sense of humor and mistakes u’ve made. We r all human. This little tidbit made my day & lifted my spirits. Thank u.
mjnrootdig says:
You are welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed the story.
Bonnie says:
Great story! While I was reading, I kept thinking something worse had happened to the photo while safely stored in the book….like ink/print transfer to the image or something equally horrific. So I am happy you found your original photo and I’m presuming it was not in anyway damaged.
Mary Hammond says:
Like Bonnie, I assumed that either the photograph had been ruined by the book, or vice versa. Neither situation was difficult to imagine. Glad to hear it was just temporarily misplaced. Thanks for sharing your cautionary note!
mjnrootdig says:
You are welcome. I was just glad I found it.
mjnrootdig says:
No problems with the original. Fortunately the book it was printed in was quality ink on quality paper.
Barbara says:
I have accumulated so many “safe places” in this house of 57 years and can’t find any of them!!!!! One envelope full of my favorite photos is among them. I feel positive, in the years that follow, someone else will find them and I hope appreciate them.:}
I amaze myself with my ability to really find safe places – I never seem to pick them a second time.:}
Thanks for your “confession” it relieves my conscience a bit.:} Even the professional err occasionally,!!:}
MARSHA BAKER says:
I was in fear that your book had been donated to a local charity, used book store or something of that nature. Whew! I’m so glad you found it! I wish I was fortunate enough to have even seen one of my mother as a child with or even without her mother. It would be wonderful to own a photo like this. Any photos I have of my mother are from age 16 and older.
A blessing! The finding of your photograph.
mjnrootdig says:
I’m usually really good about going through things before donating them. However, that is an excellent point. Another reader on Facebook commented about pictures being found in donated books at various charities.
I’m lucky to have the picture and even luckier that it didn’t end up permanently lost.
D Becker says:
I wish there was a “like” button for these comments! It is so good to know that others have done this, and similar things.