Unpictured is my father. I asked my mom why they couldn’t find a nurse to take the picture. She said “you know our family, I’m glad we even have that picture.” Our family was never one of those quick we entered Mississippi stand in front of the sign and take a picture to prove it kind of families. My mother was the type of driver that would ask you if you could hold it until Alabama. My family didn’t enter Mississippi that day, but we did improve the guy to girl ratio to two to three. That’s why there is a photo from that moment.
I’m still a little pissed that my dad isn’t in the photo. I assume it is my first, and it bugs me that I can’t say that it was our first.
I asked my mom about our first family portrait, one with everyone in it, its one of those mall photos where everyone stands in front of some darker and lighter shades of blue. But everyone in my family loves this photo more. My dad doesn’t ever look at it without saying how he remembers that very moment. He always makes sure we know how proud he is to be a father. He says, “Best thing I’ve ever done by far.” I agree, to not would be a wish to never be born. Never wished that.
My dad says he’s not in the picture because he would have made it ugly. That reason makes me smile, though I still don’t think that excuses him from not being in the photo. I asked him one day why they took that picture. “It was your first fart I had to document it.” I laughed pretty hard at his response. I guess I’ve been full of shit since day one, and I definitely get my bullshit skills from my dad.
My mother and sisters have always done what their pictured doing holding me up and standing behind me. I’ve followed in their footsteps in many ways. I’ll probably be a teacher like my mom, and I came to Loyola, played French horn, and became a park ranger just like my big sisters. It’s amazing how a picture explains an entire family. While my sisters and mom have always been hands on guiding forces, my dad has always been the jokester in the background making everyone smile.
Every time I look at this picture I see my dad doing his best to make us all smile.
This is charming and funny. The ending is really warm, I couldn’t help smiling, and containing all of it in a photograph is nice. Your family’s relation to photographs as a whole (“you know our family…”) is a touch I loved.
ReplyDeleteRereading this for grammar and punctuation, again, would clean up the parts I struggled to read.
I'm actually in the midst of writing something based off a similar idea as this-- the family portrait. (I won't stealing anything, pinky promise!)
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite things you did in this piece was the way you used an old family portrait (your first photo, to be exact) and used it to talk about your family in general: your family dynamic, your relationship with your father and mother, etc. Very cheeky and warm.
p.s. You look so much like your mom in this picture!
I really like this post. It seems really warm and honest. You're right it is strange how a picture like this can tell a lot about a family. I think you conveyed your message really well!
ReplyDeleteVery nice read. You strike a great balance between funny and warm.
ReplyDeleteThis is really nice. I like how you have some real heartfelt sentiments in here, but they don't sound sappy because of the humor mixed in.
ReplyDeleteThe only part I was confused by was "I agree, to not would be a wish to never be born. Never wished that." This sounds jumbled and confusing. I think the idea is good, just try to reword it.
This short piece works well with the photo, particularly the line about how "one picture can explain a family" or something like that. I think this piece said a lot about your dad, and so maybe you could write more about him and your relationship with him. This is a great start.
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