Before my life began

Wayne and Gene in the summer of 1949.

This picture taken of my two older brothers in the summer of 1949 is one of my all-time favorites. My oldest brother, Wayne, is busy adjusting the straw hat on baby brother, Gene, who seems to be totally unaffected by the attention. Wayne is pictured on that tricycle in several photos taken that same day at my grandparents' house. He has never gotten over his enthusiasm for riding, switching to two wheels, of course. In fact, Wayne is now 67, and for quite a few years now has taken up the habit of riding, on each birthday, the number of miles that matches his age. I greatly admire his tenacity and continued effort, but am quite sure I could not begin to do anything like that.

Looking at this picture, and others taken that day, I realize how far we have come since those days of innocent beginnings. Thanks to pictures, we can remember better and even see things that happened before we were born, as I do when I look at this one taken one year before my life began. We are all grown now and have another brother, Jim, who was born in 1953. My grandparents' house has been torn down, so we can never go back there, but in pictures the memories still shine.

Linda Wilson Rivenbark, Mint Hill, Union Power Cooperative