When your parents have been dead for as long as mine, you think you have found and seen every image of them that exists, and then you find this one - taken before they married in 1949. For our family this little photo is a treasure because all the photos we have were taken after marriage, and on the wedding day - but this one has a carefree look about it.
Mum would have been about 21 and Dad about 29. The good thing was that at the end of life together (dad was killed almost 40 years ago, they were still as happy with each other and I remember my parents smiling often and looking like this when the glare of the outside world was not on them.I was visiting Dad's brother who is dying (he's almost 90) and his son bought out an old album. There are more photos of dad, some real beauties from his early 20's and a couple of mum and dad. I didn't have the heart to ask for more, as their family is suffering right now, but asked could I copy those ones of interest next time I come .
I sat beside my uncle and he held my hand and I his for some time - it was very sad to leave knowing that I will never see him again. I am not really up to hospital stuff yet - and his eyes had that same look Don's did not too long before he died.
My aunt said he'd been talking about my dad a lot, so I have to hope that there are angels sent to be with someone as they die, and hopefully my dad is one of these. He would be if he could be.
So as I unpacked the most precious thing in my whole bag was this photo which I have sent to my sisters .
I was amazed to see the images after all these years and pleased that my cousin understood how important they would be - the others seemed unable to comprehend how important these images would be to us, and they'd been closed away in their album for decades unseen. I like to imagine that mum and dad are as happy now wherever they may be in whatever form if any, as they were when this was taken over 60 years ago.
