Old photos in black and white. Imitations of Life

My brother sent me some old photos from our late sister's family archives. They arrived today. After fighting through the layers of heavy duty taping and bubble wrap, I leafed through the pictures. It was strange to find the family portraits full of vaguely familar people. There is a set from the mid-50's that was taken in a photography studio our father used to work in. Dad worked at Kendale Studios in Grand Rapids, Michigan (The Postal Service is one designation I won't use when writing these "letters").  That would put me at 10, Bec at 12, and Jane at 14. Tom was only 4 then. The set were proofs taken as an effort to get a photo of a "typical" American family of the 50's for a Sunday morning TV show about such a family. The studio had contracted to find models and provide the pictures and our Dad said that his family would perfectly serve as such a family. I don't really know what the show was about. But do remember our photo showed up on the TV screen Sunday mornings on some show on Channel 8, I think it was. All of us, including my two sisters had really short hair and sat somewhat stiffly posing in a group, attentively looking at Dad as he read a book to us. The proofs that Tom sent me were small; maybe 2"X3" so it was hard to tell what the book prop was. It could have been a religious tract, or a furniture catalog.  The pictures were varied by who was in them. Some had all 6 of us in them; looking at the camera, attending to Dad, or oddly looking off to the distant left as though we expected a bus to arrive, or bad news to enter the room.  In this last one little Tom looked down at me from our mother's lap, as I and the others peered across the room.
There were some photos with just Dad, Mom and two or 3 of us, some laughing, and in one Dad, Mom, Jane and I are sticking our tongues out for the photographer. Or at least, 3 of us were. Jane was just smiling. I don't know who looks stupider. And I don't know which photo they finally chose for the typical family shot on Sundays. But, I remember feeling like a celebrity or sorts with a Dad who had "connections."

I looked that those photos and some of the others that arrived today. I looked at them hard and found it puzzling that the figures didn't strike more emotion in me. But, they all seemed so young and so far away. And 3 of them are no longer here. I do miss my mother, father and sister Bec.

 Get out the old photos and sit down with those in them when you can. Give them all  a hug, and hold onto the memories.