There’s a story for every Photograph

Today, in our Tuesday assembly, we had a mass dedicated to the late Journalist and Publisher, Mr. Maximo V. Soliven. Today was supposedly his 78th birthday celebration if he was still with us today. Mrs. Sara Soliven- De Guzman also made a speech, about her father on his last few days and how he has been with her throughout her life. That speech was very touching, I must admit my eyes watered up. I'll post some quotes in the end of what I remember. We also watched the Burial of Mr. Soliven at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani.

Okay, so on to what my post will be about. Well, I assume that my dad loved photography for a photo always tells a story. Going through his photo albums  are just so much fun for me, for I learn about my father's past marriage, for I knew little about it up to this day. I decide to just let that topic be anyways since it was never brought up, and I don't want to be the one who will bring it up. Well, other than his marriage, I learn about how my sisters grew up, and the texture of the photos just seem so vintage (well, it is vintage anyway!)

 In the earlier photo albums,  its mostly pictures of my sisters throughout their life. Infant, toddler, child, pre-teen, teenager, and young adult. Looking at the photos is like looking at the characters from That 70's Show the hair, clothes, accessories, it just so much alike. I actually laughed at my cousin Carsten in short shorts, and fly-away hair.

 I remember when I would show these pictures to my Auntie, and she would just tell me so many stories behind the photo, as if we were going through a storybook. And my uncle would see his picture and just say "wasn't I macho then?" and grin.

 I wish I could share some of the pictures with you, but when I scan up pictures with my scanner, they seem so dark, and with the vintage feel of every photo, you might not see what I wanted you to see.

 If my dad were alive today, I bet he'd get an SLR digital camera. he loved taking photos of nature, especially the sunrise and sunset over the ocean. That's why he loved the view of his office in Roxas Blvd. He could see the ocean, and he was at work early enough to see the sun rise, so he'd take out his camera (back then, manual cameras where the rage) and take a picture of the beautiful sunrise of Manila over the bay.  I guess I inherited the love of the beauty of nature. Every morning, I get to see the sun rise (when its not cloudy) and its just one of the most beautiful things I ever have seen because my room is located at the East side, and I can see the mountains of Antipolo[?]'s silhouette against the morning light and sky. Too bad my digital camera can't capture this. The colors aren't what I see, and the mountain's are far from what I see aswell.

 I decided to give my family photographs of the past for  Christmas this year. I'll get the negatives and ask for it to be edited to black and white. There are just so many stunning photos.

Here's a bit of what Mrs. Sara said:

 Appreciate every moment you have with your parents, even if they may seem wrong and you are the right one, always go to sleep in peace to show that you are humble to them.

I said to myself to appreciate my parents, and listen to what they taught me, even if it seemed like I knew everything at the time [I was a teenager] because when I grew up and began a family of my own, I realized that they were right.