Snapshots of our minds
I had the most amazing conversation with Dash on the way home from a friends …
it was just he and I in the car, at night.
We were both tired and mostly silent on the drive towards Granite Glen along our dirt roads.
Then he piped up.
Mum… can you take photos?
Well yes, I said.
No, no… not on a camera… in your head?
I thought for a moment.
Yes darling. As a matter of fact I do. All the time. Do you?
He smiled in the dark.
Yup.
That answer wasn’t enough for me. I am always composing and framing potential photos as I drive by things. I cannot stop it. It’s just the way my mind works. I think I have always been a photographer, with snapshots in every view I look at. It’s distracting sometimes. But was Dash talking about the same thing?
Like what exactly, Dash?
Well, he said, like people who are important. I have one photo in my head of you, one of Daddy, one of my sister and Pagi and Nana… and sometimes there are two people in the photo. Like (cousins) Sal and Mitch are together, and Sal is jumping up high. I don’t have room for everybody, so some have to share.
I was amazed. But it got better.
And you know, they sit in a pile in one corner of my brain. Just here (pointing to his left temple). And I can get any of (these photos) and look at it any time I want.
Damn near brought tears to my eyes.
Lucky it was dark.
My little blond boy (who resembles me none in looks) is just like me…
…
And then I thought about my little guy and my big guy, and the snapshot I carry in my head.
Wanna see? It was taken during Dash’s first paddock ride (outside the safety of the yards) on Lacey this week…
My mental photos have a zoom function too…
Ahhh. That one is definitely locked in the top part of my mental image pile.
…
What about you? What images are in your mental snapshots?
12 Comments
Jayne
My 3 Feral Offspring and The Spouse are framed in my head 😉
Debby
What’s framed in my head, right this minute, are a mum and a boy who are driving home in the dark, sharing a moment that they’ll both remember all their lives. It’s a gorgeous snapshot. Thanks for making the words that put it there!
rhubarbwhine
Lovely words, BB. You make a great snapshot with words, too.
Pencil Writer
Ditto. Great pictures, great script. So many pictures in my brain. Don’t know where to begin!
Lil Mama
What an amazing and insightful young man you have. I marvel at the things children think of. This is one of the best stories I have read in a very long time. I have a 4 month old son and can’t wait to hear what he thinks someday.
jeanie
Oh, your snapshot just brought tears to my eyes.
Kate
wow, what a great story. And what a sweet little guy. This is my favorite line: “And you know, they sit in a pile in one corner of my brain.” That is just awesome. And i gotta say that the pure joy in his face brought a tear to my eye. That is happiness right there. And i’ll bet that SSB had a pretty great look on his face right then too.
My snapshots are of my family. My sweet little niece the day she was born. My little nephew Jacob sleeping in my arms. Any time my family is all together (it’s rare). They are great shots 🙂
Bush Babe
Ahhh, thanks guys. I have lots of amazing conversations like this with my kids (OK not EXACTLY like this, but the kind that make me think: I MUST write that down before I forget it!). I’ve a hopeless memory though, and only one or two of these little gems make it to the laptop…
Aren’t they special though? These little snapshots in our minds eye? I do love hearing about your snapshots…
Keep ’em coming!
🙂
BB
Dawna Drake
My family and Cookie have quite substantial photo albums in my head…
BTW… Dash? Heart-melting
A Novel Woman
So sweet. The car conversations are the best.
My photo album in my head? When I want to calm myself, if I’ve had a busy day and my mind is racing and I can’t sleep, I think of a favourite place I’ve been and I walk around it. I see my grandmother’s garden at bottom of a steep hill. I walk past her patch of lily-of-the-valley and through an arch of Japanese maples to the stone path, then up and around to the large oak tree. Usually by this time, I’m asleep!
Word ver is “suppide” which sounds like a good adjective, no?
Jamie
I’ve been blog hopping and I found your blog. Just wanted to say great pictures!
Bush Babe
Dawna – thanks… he melts me regularly. Little rascal! Welcome to my blog!
Pam – you’ve got a full-on movie going on in your head!! Wow!
Janie – welcome and thanks. What a sweet thing to say!
🙂
BB