Bud reminisces about his life through photographs of family and friends

I have always advocated the old adage that says, "a picture is worth 1,000 words," especially when it comes to making and preserving memories. Our time spent on the Earth is very short, and oftentimes our memories seem to suffer throughout the years. That is so sad but true.

I still enjoy looking through some of the old photo albums of pictures taken years ago when I was just a youthful kid and seeing my parents, my grandparents, my brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, and other personal friends who have passed away, and even though I am now 80 years old, I often notice tears and sentimental feelings as I recall those memories.

I wish I could still see those people and give them all big hugs. It is difficult accepting losing loved ones, and I always felt left out by losing my father when I was only 17 years of age. Shortly afterwards, I lost my mother, then my sister passed away. My older sister also passed away, and I lost a brother as well. It is difficult to realize my younger brother and I are the only survivors of our immediate family. Those photographs are getting very well aged, but they help the memories.

Today, the camera equipment is so much better and you can get cameras that take fantastic pictures, and as I advance in age and realize I only have very few photos of my father to remember him by, I wanted to make certain my family would have a huge amount of pictures of my wife and I along with our two children to possess after we are gone.

Golly, we have pictures of our children when they were born, growing up, spending time camping, visiting family reunions, playing sports, and cheerleading. We have pictures of our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and yes, we went overboard. But I am not ashamed. As a matter of fact, I am proud because I know many people share my feelings about wishing they had pictures to remember their families.

Over the years, cameras have advanced, and there is really no excuse for a family not to have adequate equipment to take pictures of events over the years. Golly, you don’t need to have the best cameras. I remember having a few of the disposable cameras that took pretty good pictures, and today most of us have cellphones that have dog-gone good cameras that you can carry around in your pocket or purse.

I have used mine several times for taking pictures when I am in my boat fishing, when I am in my tree stand deer hunting and just scouting, and many of the pictures you see posted with my articles were taken with my cellphone.

I have pictures that were given to me of our wedding that were taken by my mother back on May 28, 1965, along with many of the family pictures she had in a family album and other pictures of family reunions, seeing my grandparents smiling and laughing. I have photos of my father mowing the yard or painting at our cottage, and that sure makes me smile.

I also have photos of the wife and I smiling proudly, holding our daughter and son shortly after they were born. We had huge, proud smiles on our faces. I have photos of our kids going to school, pictures of my first deer, my son's first deer, the kids' first fish, pictures of their weddings, pictures of their families … I am sure you get the idea.

Not only is my family sentimental to me, so are my friends. I regard them as family as well. Sadly, many of those friends have passed on, but I have many pictures of hunting trips, fishing trips, and special events, enjoying shooting archery tournaments, helping them with their archery equipment or sighting in a firearm, dragging out a deer, standing up with them at their wedding, helping them celebrate the birth of their children, and many other memorable experiences.

Pictures of long past events are great to have. Preserving those memories of family and friends is what helps us cope with aging and allows us to recall those meaningful events and meaningful people. Even today, the pictures I see hanging on the wall of my father in his U.S. Army uniform, my mother smiling at the camera, my grandmother standing next to her rose trellises and her pretty white hair, our kids’ school pictures, our grandkids’ pictures, and of my wife's parents, are always there to remind us of past and present times. As long as we have those precious pictures, they are still here with us!