During vacation, I visited the fascinating Tenement Museum, located on the lower East Side. Now, I love visiting historic museums and homes, but in school, I was never very interested in history. I’m convinced the barrier was the way it was taught. I never remembered dates, battles, or consequences. But once I started visiting the homes of historic people, hearing their stories, and seeing the artifacts that figured in their daily lives, history came to life for me. I could suddenly see how their experience and actions rippled across history to influenced our lives today.

For most of us, we make associations through stories. That’s why Humans of NY, initially launched by Brandon Stanton in 2010 as a photography project, has become such a monumental success. Now, he not only photographs is subjects – everyday people he meets on the streets of New York City (and on his travels) – he tells their stories with all the poignant, touching, often joyful, occasionally horrifying detail they’re willing to share. Over 20 million of us rejoice with his subjects’ successes and empathize with their miseries. On rare occasions, when he mounts a fundraiser to help someone in dire need, we dig into our pockets and give whatever help we can.

Sometimes, I find the intimate details shared by these people surprising. Yet, I shouldn’t. We all want to be seen, heard and have the stories of our lives recognized. Whether we realize it or not, most of us want to leave a notch in the timeline of history, as our legacy. I’m sure the families whose stories are shared at the museum would be pleased if they knew.

This past week, I was doing photography of Senior Week and Graduation in the non-profit school where I work. One young man refused to allow his photo to be taken. He did not want his image to be included in the recording of the Graduation Ceremony. It’s a decision I fear he’ll regret one day, when he has no photos of his younger self to show his children or grandchildren, and his absence is the only marker among his classmates’ photos.

This leads me to thinking about photos as legacy. Sometimes, as we age, we shun having photos taken, as if our mature selves have less value, less charm than our younger selves. We should recognize that this perception has been foisted upon us by a youth-biased society. In reality, the changes in our faces and bodies are a tangible reminder of our contributions to the world. Let them ripple throughout history, in photos, to tell and share our legacy and the story of our lives.

Initially published in the June 17, 2021 issue of Beyond the Nest, a free weekly newsletter of arts, culture, and recreation in the greater Rochester area.