It was the pre-New Years dinner.
Eight of us round the table.
Siblings and cousins.
Chattering like starlings about travels.
Organizing photo albums.
With detailed descriptions.
Places, events.
Some from years ago.
On slides needing carousels.
Or action flicks on 8mm film.
Later, VHS or DVD.
Photographic prints.
More recently, pictures, videos on phones.
In the cloud.
Some of us spend time.
Looking back at them.
Reliving vacations.
But, where will they go after we go?
Who will take them?
Treasure them?
Even care?
Ditto with the things we own.
All of us guarding mementos.
From our own parents.
Furniture, paintings, kitchenware.
Jewelry, postcards, portraits.
Who will want ours?
Likely not our children.
Whose tastes diverge.
Have already moved on.
Creating their own families, footprints.
Accumulating their own stuff.
Though all of us have urges,
wishes to be remembered,
they may remain unfulfilled.
Longings best surrendered.
Lynn Benjamin
December 31, 2023
