Camera Shy...Who Me???

Jacqueline, Linda



My friend, Jacqueline over at Jacqueline's Jabberings encouraged me with this post (mostly down to the comments part, although she eludes to this fact in a couple of pictures of herself earlier in the post).

I know what she speaks of is so true as this was the case with my own mom. She really hated having her picture taken and I have memories of her running to hide when my Dad would bring out the movie camera. As a result, today my Mom is no longer with us and I have very few pictures of her (a few but not as many as I'd like). Unfortunately, I now see this trait in myself.....I really hate having my picture taken too. I guess I must have inherited this trait from her (although I did NOT inherit the McLean Temper from her ;)).

Jacqueline's post (as well as a previous one)spoke so loudly to me. In a subsequent email, Jacqueline went on to encourage me even further. She mentioned she too struggles with this but how it is so important it is to leave pictorial memories of ourselves for our children and grandchildren. We also need to demonstrate to them our acceptance of who we are rather than a wrongful pride that causes us to want to be different. Our kids love us regardless of how we look or what kind of pictures we take. I know this is true and it brings to memory an experience where Jake at about age 4, demonstrated this very fact.

I had helped out with VBS and at the end they gave all leaders a certificate with their photograph on it (they took the pics early on in the week). It wasn't a very flattering picture of me and I tucked the certificate (what I thought was securely) away. A few months later, I was surprised while going through Jake's AWANA book --- this photograph of me from VBS fell out. It was wrinkled and crumpled but shoved in there with all his other papers. I asked him what he had been doing with that picture. He told me he'd been showing it around at AWANA, to his friends and to some of the leaders. I was horrified....did I mention it wasn't a very good picture??? I didn't say anything to him as he seemed quite happy with the pic. For several weeks following that, I had many people tell my how Jake had proudly shown them my picture...declaring, "Here is my mom!"

Sooo, with Jacqueline's encouragement and the lack of pictures of my own mom, I'm going to work on allowing more pictures of myself. It won't be easy, I really don't take good pictures....but I will try.

I'm going to start off by posting a picture of Jacqueline and I (I have her permission to do so). I was able to meet her for the first time at our homeschooling conference in May. The above picture was taken then (she is the one in black and I am the one in pink)