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Photographs
Copyright 2013 Christina M. Guerrero
While visiting her, I often wondered what she was like when she was younger.
I could only guess, by examining her wardrobe, and her hairstyle, and by reviewing only a tiny biography that was given to me.
I noticed that she seemed to be playful. Although her mind was challenged and her words were few, she did things that indicated that a sense of humor was still there ... buried deep ... but there. I had visions of her as a vibrant, friendly young woman, perhaps involved in many activities.
She was surprisingly active, and moved around often, sometimes unexpectedly. I had fun trying to catch up with her.
Twice, during the last few visits, she reached out and held my hand. I'd like to think she recognized me.
When I found out she had passed away, I paid my condolences, and then went back to my life, feeling sort of like one feels after watching a really good movie, or outstanding live theater. It was time to go back to regular life, and other things.
Much later, I was checking things out online and found a link to several photos of her.
When I saw the first photo, I smiled. She was there, in a much, much younger face, and I would have recognized her back in the early 20th century, if we had met at a friend's house, or at a neighborhood potluck, or at church.
I checked out a few more photos, and enjoyed them, despite a sense of sadness. It was difficult to believe she was gone, and not around with her funny self.
I was finished, and was about to get back to work, when I noticed something wonderful: an indication that there were an abundance of photographs.
With great interest, I went back to the first photo, and began looking at each one, slowly.
And my visions became reality. She was playful and vibrant when she was younger. She was involved in many activities. She must have been not only outgoing and full of good humor, but well-bred and quite the catch back then, because her spouse looked adoringly at her in almost every photo containing the two of them. They appeared to have been married until he died. And perhaps after that, she was well for a while, and then ....
I looked through the photos several times. I could almost hear her younger self chatting, socializing, working, flirting with the man who married her, interacting with the other people in later photos.
I was grateful for the photos, and for a better idea of who she was, and what she had done with her life.
In my version of heaven, I believe we will see each other again, and when we do, she will probably be the first to say something, and I bet it's going to be funny.
R.I.P.
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