I found a bounty of photographs I didn’t even know I had yesterday.
I’ve been thinking that my sisters, Fran and Dory, were the keepers of the really good stuff.
Apparently there were plenty of Kodak moments to go around.
There’s been a volume somebody at sometime put together for me, hiding in a never-used drawer here in the living room of our home in Syracuse. Somewhere in the back of my mind rattled around the information that my dear wife Karen and I put several photo albums in said drawer years ago.
I pulled it open to investigate.
Bingo.
We shall start today at the beginning. Every now and again, I’ll bring out the oldies.
Here’s me and my mom, Dolores. I would figure the year as 1958, which would make me 1 and she 20.
Those were some eventful days as we all grew up together, my parents and I, back in Brooklyn, N.Y. We lived walking distance from both sets of my grandparents. I went to kindergarten at the Polish Catholic school, St. Stanislaus. Then the company my father worked for moved its office to Long Island, and we moved, too.
I love your hat, Mom. OK, I’ll try to sit still.
And here’s me and mom some 40 years later. I figure the year to be 1998 or so, when she came to visit when I lived in Morrisville, N.Y. She always seemed so excited to see her first granddaughter, Elisabeth, and always brought a car full of gifts.
Mom’s birthday was a week ago. She would have turned 76, and I would have again thrilled at the thought of having such a young mother.
Dolores and Mark, both all grown up.
We did have happy periods that spanned many decades, and I found the photos to remind myself.
My tendency is to dwell more about the tense times that came in my teens, with all the bickering and anxiety before my mother and father got divorced.
I’m glad to find these to unlock a vault of happier memories.
Have you ever come upon a pile of old photographs you haven’t seen in may years? How did they make you feel?
Mark Bialczak 
Oh, totally forgot in my excitement, I do have some family photos dating back to the 1890’s. My great-grandparents on both sides of the family, aunts and uncles when they were babies, so much fun to go through. I did manage to grab some my son found of me and destroy them before he went viral with them. Kept some of the cute ones though, cause I was a cute kid. Just those pesky teens. No one should have to go through those years.
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You should share some of them with us, Angie.
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Mark, you have a twin in my town. His name is Mel, and we used to sing and play guitar in church together. He is much more talented than I ever hoped to be, and is the editor of the Western KY Catholic newspaper that I used to write a monthly column for. All grammar is forgotten here. Just seeing you in the grown up photo and remembering Mel at that age has blown what’s left of my mind.
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Wow. Now I find out that both you and I have a lookalike there in Western Kentucky. That is kind of odd. And interesting. Thanks, Angie.
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How adorable!!!! I have come across pictures before that I had forgotten about. ANd they made me feel like you just said. It’s like opening a treasure vault. I’m glad it took you back to good moments. And smiles. I love the pictures with your mom. 🙂
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It did warm me as much as our 50 degree day, Colleen. Much more than, actually.
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Love the pictures, Mark. Memories, good and not-so-good, shape our lives. Thanks for sharing!
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Aw, thank you for sharing these, Mark.
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You’re welcome, Mer. I give here more little pieces of myself little by little, I think.
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Baby Beels! So sweet! I love old photos. Looking forward to seeing more. I have a couple posts in draft with pics of my parents in their 20s. Those posts have been hard to write though. In time I’ll work through them. Thanks for sharing these!
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I loved my mom’s look to hold Baby Beels, Sandra. So formal we both were dressed, but it still looks like an impromptu shot. I love that about it. Have a satisfying time working through your parents-in-20s drafts, my friend.
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Lovely photos Mark. Family photos bring back so many memories – good to focus on the happy times. Your mum looks lovely in both the pictures.
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Thank you Rachel. I too love my mom’s look at 20 and 60.
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Well, Mark, right now you have me tearing up. I love the photos of you and your Mom. They started me thinking about my own Mom who passed in 2001. Thank goodness for the photos my family kept. They are lovely to look back on.
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It’s good to let it all flood over you every now and again, isn’t it, Judy? Thanks.
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Ohhh, you were such an adorable little boy! I love the picture of you and your mother.
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Thanks, PJ. I love that picture, too.
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Nicely done, Mark … keep ’em coming!
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What time is your Baldrick’s trim Sunday? I’d like to coincide my trip to David’s with yours so I can take a photo of you and post it on my blog, Jim. How’s that for a promotional idea?
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Hard times make you stronger ;D Mark you are!
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I think I am, K, so I am.
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You are much more than that Mark C
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Sweet
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Those are great photos. Family pictures are everything to me. Two years ago, I borrowed all the scrapbooks my grandmother had made (from my aunt) and spent weeks carefully taking them out and scanning them. I scanned over 1000 at high resolution and put them on DVDs for all of her six kids and their grandchildren. It’s not just a door to history, but a glimpse into these people’s lives. When you can see them smiling and laughing–or like your shot–holding you before you can even remember–it’s priceless. I’m sorry you can’t hug your mom today.
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Thank you, Kerbey. I am happy for finding these photographs.
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I’m looking forward to more of your photos and memories Mark. You know I love old photos and not just mine. You are about the same age as me so when I look at your photos even though we’re distant in miles the fashions and the furnishings are so similar your photos look familiar. I’m glad they’ve brought back happy memories for you.
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It is great when I find a shared era in your shots, too, Irene! I will post more, but not all at once!
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wonderful finds, mark. and yes, i love, love old photos as you have seen in numerous posts and more to come. old photos bring back so many memories and feelings and all sorts of things. i was a young mother as well, and grew up with my daughters, and divorced, so i know of what you speak. glad you could share these with us ) b
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Yes, I have appreciated your family photo album, Beth, and look forward to more of the good, old days. I have a few more posts planned with my discovery, too.
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good to hear, mark. it seems one story always leads to another. lucky for us )
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