 | The Saddest Thing I OwnA collection of life's saddest objects, their sad stories, and our reasons for holding onto these sad things. |
Edna Jr. And Betty
Posted On Saturday April 29, 2006 By Joyce
This is my mother (now called Beth) and her older sister. Sometimes it seems sad to me and sometimes not. It makes me think about childhood and its confusions and hopes and about the way life happens to people. Edna was the oldest of 5 girls. She died of breast cancer about 15 years ago. I have a sense of things – emotions, perhaps resentments – never resolved between her and my mother.
Tags: cancer, childhood, confusion, death, hope, photograph, sisters
Other People's Thoughts
I love this photograph. Given the age of the photo, it would be more typical to see boys in this type of shot so it is refreshing to see the girls. Your mother looks happy and a little carefree, with her socks tumbling down. Your aunt looks more serious -already carrying the baggage of the eldest child’s sense of responsiblity? Lovely shot, thank you for posting it.
— Clare Wednesday May 3, 2006 #
The photo pulls at me because it is of my relatives and reminds me of where I came from, how fleeting time is, how life just spits you out into the universe and you hit the ground running, just looking over your shoulder occasionally to keep your bearings. Also, the expressions on Beth’s and Edna’s faces, connected by the stick, sum up that tricky balance of responsibility and freedom. Of course the fish isn’t too happy about the situation either.
— Paul Thursday May 4, 2006 #
The Saddest Thing I Own is a 2005 commission of New Radio and Performing Arts, Inc., (aka Ether-Ore) for its Turbulence web site. It is supported by the Jerome Foundation in celebration of the Jerome Hill Centennial and in recognition of the valuable contributions of artists to society.
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