MY ROOTS TAUGHT ME THE VALUE OF FAMILY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN CONNECTION

I grew up in a large Catholic family. Many of my favorite memories involved extended family gatherings with 50 plus people in my grandparent’s basement. If I close my eyes really tight, I can transport to the basement with shag carpet and wooden paneling. Where there was always an abundance of food, all the Budweiser, and people talking loudly which to normal people probably would have been defined as yelling.

My grandfather would weave in and out of people snapping pictures on his 35mm film camera capturing moments no one probably ever thought would be significant. Then after taking the film to develop my grandparents would sit around the kitchen table and go through those images, telling stories and have the opportunity to celebrate their family all over again.

After my grandparents passed away I found myself looking through those 4x6 photos, in addition to the old black and white photographs documenting my grandparent’s love story for over 60 years. They are my most treasured keepsakes. The photos of them dating in their 20s, classic wedding images, countless family gatherings with little kids everywhere, and growing old together with all their grandchildren were perfectly frozen time.

These beautiful images have stood the test of time, and revealed to me at a very young age that every moment has significance, and sometimes we don’t realize how important they are until those moments have passed.