Is Your Childhood on a Drugstore Greeting Card? My Shocking Discovery!
The Hallmark card version of Lee's childhood
When I turned 54, some lovely friends gave me a birthday card, one of those Hallmark jobs with a photo on the front intended to look “retro”. Suddenly, my skin pricked up, a shock traveled through my bones, and a jolt of memory revisited this scene. I knew this photo. This was my past. A fuzzy memory of my buried two year old self.
So, back I rummaged through boxes of old black and white family photos I’ve managed to hold onto, despite my endless moves and journeys, hurried departures from lovers in the middle of the night, and frenzied attempts to cleanse away my past. And amazingly enough, there it was, the photo I was nudged into remembering.
Lee in the Kitchen at age 2, 1956
See the ghostly likeness??? It’s all there – the pixie haircut, the pudgy legs, the white socks, the black shoes, the white fluffy lace underslip under the same girly dress with the white collar, tied at the back. The 1950ish kitchen. Standing on the stool to get higher.
Creepy, how did Hallmark know???? How did my friends know????
But notice, the real two year old me wasn’t climbing on the counter, only wistfully looking up, wondering, plotting, imagining. Probably too timid to climb, though I bet I wanted to.
Courtesy of the greeting card industry, I can reimagine my 2 year old self anew. Only this time, I’m up on that counter, breaking the rules, taking the risks, leaving the ground.
What a birthday gift! A new and improved photographic vision of my own past.
Guest Blog by
Lee Ann Root, 2009
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What a great way to re-envision one’s past!
Aren’t you the lucky birthday girl?
I always am……….
Great blog. Wow, the two pictures together are quite eerie. It’s amazing how the discovery happened and that you were able to find the picture. Thanks for sharing!
It’s amazing that she can come up with such pix. And, it only takes her a few minutes to find them in the pile o’ shoe boxes!
What a cute two year old! Your article made me smile!
WOW!! Really amazing, and that you still had the photo!
R found the card and thought the little girl foreshadowed the adventurous adult Lee.
A lovely posting. I don’t know that I’ve ever been part of an inspiration before–it’s lovely.
Actually, both you and kb have been inspiring and have appeared in other works…
I loved that! What a coincidence!
Lee, I think you were looking for chocolate!
The website looks great. When I have more leisure time I would like to get back into photography. This website could be very useful.
Are you sure which one is the real you?
hmmm…..both of them I’d guess, but I sorta like the climber
You’re fortunate to have photos of you from that time period. I only know of two photos from my early childhood that exist anymore – and I wasn’t climbing on anything. Quite amazing you made the connection.
I love your little spit curl! You had style even then!
thank you Cindy………….btw, I loved your “SNOW” video, very beautiful and atmospheric