Bush fire survivors who have lost their homes and possessions value their salvaged photographs more than anything else. We bereaved parents completely understand that. Each photograph brings both sweet and bitter memories and in our minds-eye a whole story appears with each. From that comes another chapter, then another and another till we have a network of people and events that formed our precious children's lives.

Many of us like to write about our children. Though we thing of it as our personal and private way of holding our children close within our hearts, it is also a wonderful document, for not just this generation of family but also the next and the next. As we all know, when we peruse our photographs, memories flood us. We may recall the exact moment and become lost in thought. Some details we may remember in absolute detail. These are the most precious things - the details - and it is these that we will most treasure in years to come. On paper they can all be there for many years.

'That was the day' you may say, ' when we went fishing on the pier. We didn't catch a thing so be bought fish and chips on the way home .....'

The story has started. One thing leads you on to another, further and further. Intermingling, overlapping and transporting. The how, whey, where and when of a happy day takes you to other fishing trips, other holidays, perhaps the very weather, the fish that got away, the sunburn and the zinc-creamed noses, the lost sandal, the picnic lunch or maybe the porpoises out further on the bay and of course, the children's laughter.

Another photograph? Is that a little bandage on his or her finger? Ah! Therein lies another precious story.

As for me? Just writing this has lifted my poor old spirits.

Please let me encourage you to write. Perhaps you could submit a short piece to the magazine along with a copy of a snapshot that brought your story to mind.

It will make you smile, and no doubt, a certain very special someone will be smiling too.

Written by
Judy
TCF Vic, Aust.