The art project of Jaime Livingston has really made me think this morning. I found myself completely drawn in by his photos. I have not looked at all of them. I am pretty sure I would not be able to get anything done today if I did. I actually had to get fully involved in work in order to get it out of my head. What about this project has me so intrigued? What is calling out to me? Don’t worry, not only do I have no idea where my Polaroid camera is, I am pretty sure I would be sullying the good name of this project by trying to duplicate it.

I guess I love the idea of leaving a legacy. One that touches people and really makes them not just remember who you were, but makes them consider their own lives in ways in which they never considered before. This was one of those legacies. I know I have always been pretty good about taking pictures. My picasa site will show you how crazy I am, and the 5 boxes at home that have not been scanned will only add to this. I take pics of the boys, I take pics of the cats. I take pics of funny signs, but of course, those are not as interesting as Jaime’s photographs. It isn’t the content, it is the vibe. It is the simplicity of each image, all shots that somehow meant something to him, even if it was just random for the sake of being random. We were let into his head if only for that split second when the camera captured his thought. I always have wanted to be able to let people inside my head in order to let them know just how I think. I don’t know if they would find it useful. I don’t know if they would even care. But I want it to be a door that people can go in if they really do want to take a look around.

My journals probably are the best doors I have. Granted, many are filled with the mindless dribble of my day to day activities. The nuances of potty training and hang-ups I may have about work. But how often does a person get to see all of that from the point of view of someone they know? Or even someone they don’t know. Or, of someone they should know.

My legacy that I leave is my writings. Bad, great, or just plain odd, it is what I hope to leave to the world when I am gone. For my children to realize that clearly committing me was the best choice they made. For my grandchildren to think their parents were nuts for committing this mind. For my husband, who even though knows me better then anyone, he can hopefully get a bit of insight on why I am the way I am at times. For my friends, since I hope that I provide memories that they have long since forgotten that will give them a smile for the day knowing that even if they don’t always think of the past, it is archived somewhere for future generations. And this is for people who don’t know me from the next random blogger. Perhaps they have found my honesty strangely hypnotic. Maybe they think I need to perhaps keep some of this to myself. Either way, I have made them think, and that is all I can ask.

So I will continue my own art project. I am not promising a journal a day, even though it tends to average about that. I will however continue to allow my door to be open in order to let anyone in that might want to sit for a while. You are always welcome.  

Tags: legacy

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