This Is Why (Cilenia Scrapbooks).
| This Is Why (Cilenia Scrapbooks). |
 |
 |
| Written by Liv Esteban | |||
| Monday, 08 June 2009 19:00 | |||
|
My grandfather had a dark room in the basement, and as a little girl I remember watching him perform his ‘magic’ by making a picture appear on the paper. I remember the care my grandmother took in hand-coloring and tinting the photos; I remember being in awe of her talent. I remember her carefully laying out each photo set in a hardbound leather book of black paper and using a white pen to mark the dates or names, and I loved going through these books over and over, reliving our family’s good times and gatherings. Too bad, I thought then, as I looked through them, that she didn’t write the stories behind the photos. I remembered the many stories they told me. I felt an almost obsessive need to write down what I could remember today and started to journal furiously. I also found a family heritage album, but most pictures had no names and dates. The pictures in these albums had grown worn and the ink had begun to bleed on some areas. What had been written in pencil was barely legible. The faces in the photos were eerily familiar; I could see my own portrait in a distant relative’s face--the same eyes, nose, smile. I wondered who this woman was, she who was literally almost a twin of me but from a hundred years earlier? . And so began my quest to create a heritage album so that I could know where I came from, how I got here, and who the people were that helped mold me into the person I am today. My mother and I carefully scanned all the photos to preserve them before it was too late. I started to teach myself digital graphics in an old version of Paint Shop in a feeble attempt to restore the beauty of the old pictures. My mother and I asked every surviving family member we could to tell us anything about the people, who was who and what was happening. We had ship receipts and passes from America to the old country back in Europe. We had Ellis Island records of when our family first came to America. We had elementary pictures of our grandparents from a school during the war. We had it all in photos. But we had nothing in words. Over the past eight years, we have managed to put together many pieces of our family heritage puzzle, not the passion and not the stories from their hearts, but at least some of the who’s and when’s. I decided that I was not going to let this happen to my children or grandchildren. I want my children and grandchildren to know the stories behind the pictures. I want them to know how proud I was of them. I want them to know about the love we shared between us and the trials and tribulations we faced. I want them to know their heritage, the family recipes, the accomplishments, the lessons. This is why I scrapbook today. To record the stories behind the scenes. To preserve not just the pictures of Christmas but also the everyday blessings we are thankful for. Not just the picture of a child standing on a mountainside, but the accomplishment of climbing it and the fun time we shared hiking together. Not just the picture of me, their mother, riding a motorcycle (and looking like some hellion), but the stories that tell of the love of my brothers and my extended family, and how we would protect and would die for each other. I want to share with them the pride I felt on the day I taught my daughters and granddaughter to sew, as I watched their eyes light up with the joy of creating their own masterpiece in fabric. I want to share with them the words spoken along with the secret thoughts inside. Why? So they remember… and know they are loved. So that one day when I am gone, they will remember the joys we had and will know that even though life had its ups and downs, we remained together and there was nothing we couldn’t overcome or conquer as a family. So that they too can draw upon the magic of family and love to overcome their own trials, and know about the celebrations to be had after. This is why I scrapbook. To preserve our legacy. To preserve our family. To preserve our stories of passion, life and love. Trackback(0)
Comments (12)
 
And an incredible story it is. I'm so glad to hear of all your hard work in documenting your family history. I keep thinking someday....maybe when I retire I can tackle the big projects like that. I admire your dedication and perseverance. Your family will truly appreciate your efforts.
1
June 09, 2009
What a great story and reason for scrapbooking. I also have boxes of pictures from both sides of the family with no names, dates or locations. I have started to research both of our families to see what I can find. I know that the pictues of my grandmother are very dear to me and when the time comes I will tell the stories that I remember. I spent many a summer with her, she spoke little english and I did not speak Lithuranian.
2
June 09, 2009
This is just beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing your "why" with us!
3
June 09, 2009
Your story is so very interesting Cilenia! I think it's remarkable that you felt such a strong desire to go back & recreate a family heritage album! That is an awesome accomplishment and a treasure for your family! You certainly have wonderful reasons for scrapbooking! Keep up the good work! I can feel your passion in the story you have just shared with us! TFS!
4
June 09, 2009
Loved reading your story Cilenia, and what an absolute treasure you have created in spending so many years researching your family history. Wow! Sue
5
June 10, 2009
What an awesome reason to scrap, I admire the dedication on your part to attach as much information as possible to all those old photo's. Loved reading your story, thanks Robyn
6
June 10, 2009
What a great reminder as to why we all scrapbook! Thank you for sharing it. You are a wonderful writer and your future generations are so blessed by your dedication and perseverance!
Jeanne 7
June 10, 2009
You have inspired me to do more, I find it really difficult to journal as probably your ancestors did, I feel embarassed to put my thoughts down on my pages, but after reading your story, I'm going to really try harder to express and document my thoughts and feelings.. thank you Celinia
8
June 14, 2009
Wonderful journaling, Cinelia! I just discovered several trunks and boxes filled with my late parents and grandparents photos, letters and journals. Most of the photos date from the 1920s-1950s and many have little or no journaling so, like you, I have no way of knowing the whos, the wheres or the whens - and there is no one left alive to ask. It's possible that my dad's cousin's grown children may have some information, but I haven't seen or communicated with them since I was a child and have no way to contacting them.
Good for you for making the choice to preserve your own family's memories and moments to remember for generations to come  9
June 16, 2009
Just a ps to the post, above -- I apologize for all my typos and grammatical errors
 -- chalk it up to a brain that's still waking up  !10
June 16, 2009
Thanks Jessica! Although I'm tech-savy, I'm definitely looking forward to my first online class! And a scrapbook/photography one at that. Cool!
11
June 22, 2009
Very inspiring! Thanks for sharing
 12
July 31, 2009
Write comment
This content has been locked. You can no longer post any comments.
You must be logged in to post a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet.
|
It all started years ago with the death of my grandmother, when my mother and I found boxes of photos and albums in her closet. I saw a totally different side of my grandmother, a side that I never knew. In many of the pictures I saw myself in her-- holding cookouts with friends and family, cooking, gardening, sewing--but although I discovered pictures, I found no words to tell me what she was thinking at the time, no accounting of feelings or thoughts, just tons of pictures.
TrackBack URI for this entry
Let's Keep in Touch!