Moments in Time – Dolls

She was classy, looking poised and polished whether she was wearing the latest style or gardening clothes. When she went out, she wore fashionable hats, high heels and carried dressy purses.

Aunt Freda took care of us while my mom did errands.  Having no children of her own, she doted on us, her great nieces.  We felt her love for us and we were better and happier because of it. She was present for birthdays and holidays and times in between.  Her love showed in her eyes when she was with us and our love for her grew as we looked back at her.

At the age of 56, our Great Aunt Freda died when we were six and nine years old, my sister and I were very sad about her passing.  Times with her and those loving eyes were gone.

What we had in her place, though, were her accessories….hats and high heels and purses galore!  I wonder how my mother, in her grief, thought to keep those things for us. Dress-up was more than dressing up – we were pretending to be Aunt Freda.  All of her love and characteristics were focused on our dolls as we practiced showing her love to them.

Looking at that picture, I recalled a similar one from a previous time.   When I found it, it felt priceless. There I saw my mother and her sister with their dolls. They were direct nieces of Aunt Freda.

Digging further, I found an image of my mother’s sister’s daughters with their dolls.  Like my sister and I, they were Aunt Freda’s great nieces.

It is said that times change but people don’t.  I had an urge to put these pictures together.   The following combination of images shows two sisters, and then below their own daughters/sisters with the same theme.  All of the girls were connected and loved by Freda.

A special aunt, little girls, and dolls. Love moves from generation to generation.

Moments in time connected by family and love.