beth delagi

     I was born into a family of collectors. My grandmother collected buttons and handkerchiefs; my father collected old pharmacy bottles; my mother collected books. A child of the 1970s, I collected pins with sayings like Feelin’ Groovy & VOTE for SNOOPY. I still have my grandmother’s buttons and handkerchiefs and my Snoopy pins.

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     But nowadays I collect photographs.

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     I have five children and I initially took pictures of them and my husband to document our lives. But over time, the pictures became more to me than snapshots and portraits. Sure, the pictures tell our story and with them, I can relive moments where everyone looks great or moments that make me laugh. But I collect all of them — even the ones that make me cry and even the ones that chronicle moments that I might want to forget. Like the old buttons and handkerchiefs that remind me of moments with my grandmother, my collection of photos does not let me forget.