Treasure Trove of Perspective

Today, a confession. Relevant because she is among the only readers of this blog. I went through about 10 years of Facebook posts from my dearest mother this morning. I got sidetracked whilst watching Clement’s newest video from Kyrgyzstan and stumbled across a treasure trove of old photos and memories that have never meant more to me than they do right now.

My first and last day at school. Likewise for my brothers. Family trips where the actual year of travel had become very hazy in my mind. Wedding photos from a decade ago, featuring me in a kilt. Pictures of Lola as a puppy on her first afternoon in the house.

Pictures of Mum with friends from school, various shoutouts for Kitty Hawk Distillery and Mum-sercise, and shared posts of inspiration from my aunties before, during, and after running the New York marathon.

It was a treasure trove of personal memories, many told through photos I’d never seen before. Looking in that mirror, I saw my younger self in snippets throughout a decade. Perhaps surprisingly, it really isn’t an exercise I’ve undertaken very often. I don’t have a collection of baby photos or anything on my phone, so finding them here was rare.

Also though, it afforded me a great deal of perspective. A moment where I could step back and try to see our family, both immediate and extended, not from my eyes, but from my mum’s vantage point. I feel incredibly grateful.

Sorry for the slight stalking Mum, but thank you.