I was going through a box of old photos that had been stowed away for years, and I came across some wonderful shots of my family that I’d never seen. I’ll be writing about a few of these over the next week or so, but couldn’t resist sharing one photo that is dated December 1956. This one features my mother, maternal grandmother, and me. Since my birthday is in January, I was one month shy of four when this photo was taken. My grandmother, who was born in 1878, was 78 at this time. Mom, born in 1918, was 38.

My grandmother, Winnie Waugh, was looking straight at the camera, but my mother and I are staring off to the right. This might suggest that something was happening that had shifted our attention. With so many kids in the family – 6 altogether – any one of my siblings could have been doing something to distract us. My dad might have taken the photo but I don’t think I ever saw him take a picture during my lifetime. So, perhaps it was a friend or other relative behind the camera lens. My mother looks tall in this photo. She was 5’6″. My grandmother, in contrast, was 4’10”. I am barely up to my grandmother’s waist, an indicator that I might take after her as an adult. At 4’11” I’d say I did.

My grandmother looks thinner than I remember her. I have always thought of her as being about as round as she was tall. That is not the case in this photo. Mom also looks thinner than I remember her. I also know from our family history that only six months before this time – in June – Mom lost a baby born prematurely at 8 months. His name was Robert Alexander after two of Mom’s brothers. As I think about it, I’m actually shocked that she looks so thin. This might say a lot about how tough the past few months had been on her.

I am touched most by the sweet handholding Mom and I are doing in the photo. I spent lots of time with her when I was small and was very bonded to her. I suspect that having a little hand to hold helped her very much over those months after little Robert’s death. My heart breaks just thinking about that loss for Mom. My grandmother no doubt knew those were tough months too. That might have been why she was with us at that point since she still lived in Bastrop, Texas about five hours from Bonham, where our family lived.

I am so happy to have this photo of my mother and grandmother. I have no other one of the three of us. These were strong, smart, and decent women and I was a very lucky little girl to have them as role models. They both taught me to stand up for myself and to be of service to others. They also lead exemplary lives, which has influenced me my entire life. I am so pleased to have a photo that shows us all together. Yes, this “find” is something that definitely makes me happy.