"Taken Dec. 20 at home 1959. Bud and Jeff." 20 - 1959

This small black and white photograph captures a moment “at home” in December 1959. You can almost feel the texture of the glossy paper, the cool touch of the silver salts, and the way the image slowly developed in the darkroom. I wonder what the photographer was thinking, framing this tableau of domestic life? Perhaps they were trying to freeze time, to hold onto a moment of childhood innocence. Maybe the photograph was a gift, a way to say, "I see you, I love you, I want to remember this." That little boy, Bud or Jeff, with his toy guns and cowboy hat, he’s a symbol of play, imagination, and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are. The gun in the background is ominous. Maybe that’s life: full of tenderness, and also the unknown. But it's all just life, isn't it?