I read the paragraphs below at another blog today. I've included the whole of it.
Many scrapbookers knew Aleida Franklin. She was a wonderful wife and mother and a brilliant artist. I didn’t know Aleida personally, but she taught me something I will never forget.
She emailed me last year to tell me she loved my blog and to ask if I liked my short hair-cut. This lead to a series of emails which eventually led me to remark that I really loved how often she posted pictures of herself with her children on her blog. And she replied to me, “Have you ever seen a photograph of your own mother and thought to yourself how fat she looked? Or how she wasn’t wearing make-up? Or wasn’t dressed in a glamorous outfit?” Of course my answer was no.
She then responded with saying that she made it a goal to take a picture of herself with her children at least once every month. And that to use excuses about how we look, as women, is ridiculous, since our children will never care what we looked like, but only that we had physical evidence of the bond between mother and child.
Aleida tragically and unexpectedly passed away in an auto accident in September of 2008, leaving 2 small children and a grieving husband. After she passed I thought of how those children must feel to have those precious photographs. I have made it my personal goal to follow her wise suggestion and I try to take photos of myself with my children….double chins, make-up free, bed-head and all.
I can count on one hand the number of photos of ME taken with my kids and/or my husband over the past YEARS (not just one year). Pretty sad, really. I would be one of those that doesn't like their photo being taken because of my issues with weight etc. But: Have you ever seen a photograph of your mother and thought to yourself how fat she looked? I bet your answer is NO as well. Time for me to get over myself
Time for things to change.
Original link HERE - "She Left Proof". Photograph yourself with your child/ren each and every month. Or your significant other. Leave proof that you were here, with your family.
there's a flickr group - aleida's challenge I think it's called... but thank you for the timely reminder, I make a point of getting photos at Christmas and mother's day, and taking photos of the kids every month, but forget to include me in them more...
ReplyDeletepoint taken...off to take some pics
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's silly how caught up in our looks we can become .... thanks for the reminder! :-) Will work on some shots with the kids during the holidays.
ReplyDeleteI love that phrase, proof that you were here! Makes you think doesn't it. Proof you were here is on your blog. Can't wait to see some pictures of you, especially things you do in your life. I will take some of me too - not so good with the kids though - tomorrow is pre school. Will give the next few days a go. You should do something like Tara Whitney's project, she aims to take a photo of all six of them together once a month, she also writes a great blog post about the month!
ReplyDeleteVery very true. I have recently taken photos with my boys and they love it.
ReplyDeleteso so true...sadly Livvy may one day say "I remember mummy looking like she was having a baby"...yes she did say it the other day...sigh...and alas there is no baby in there...just food...sigh...so I will take a family photo with me "with child"...sigh...
ReplyDelete