I decided one day last week to get started on my book. I went to the closet where I keep all of my photos. Throughout a married life of 24 years, two children, parties, holidays and other events that I wanted saved for memories,  I put all of my pictures in shoe boxes for safe keeping. To my amazement there were 8 shoe boxes full of my photos/memories! ( I have always fancied myself as a great photographer and sometimes I do get a good shot, so there are a lot of pictures!! Well, okay I'll go so far as to say, I took pictures at my son'swedding this past July and quite a few of mine were picked by the professional photographer to blow up or use in the wedding album. Laughing, I guess I'm tooting my own horn, aren't I?)

I got the boxes out and started going through the photos.   As I looked at the images, there were forgotten moments of time. I stated into many pictures wondering why I took that particular photo. I soon began to remember the past, the good and the sad, the farther I got through the photos, the sadder I became. There were to many pictures of close family members, and a friend that had passed on. I started to get upset, so I put the pictures away to be looked at another day.

After a few days, I went back to the pictures and pulled them out one more time and turned things around in my mind. Guess what, I actually had a wonderful time looking at the moments of time "pictures" and visiting my family and my friend. I am so thrilled now that I do have these photographs to remember all the events in life.

I had a great time looking and remembering the fun times we had and what great laughs and just being together and sharing each others lives. I did a lot of laughing and yes, I did cry again but it was a happy cry. One thought I kept thinking was, tomorrow if I'm here without you, I know I will survive as I can still look and feel the great times we spent with each other. 

I got my first memory book together now, along with some help from Deana, my great friend from America Online. She is such a sweetie, she sent me books to help me get started out with my new hobby.

As I am nearing the end of this article I would like to remind everyone to take photographs as much as you can. Hey, you might not be great at it to start with at first but you'll learn and you'll be proud of youraccomplishment. The past is approaching fast and you'll be glad you have your little bits of time "memories!"