Door to Destiny

Dear Angelene,

Your papa took lots of photos at the Congress Theater on Saturday night. Your mama titled the black-and-white photo above the Door to Destiny. It leads to the stage -- to her destiny.

The photo has a stylized 1950s feel to it -- maybe because the man wears a white shirt and tie. I like it.

My favorite is your mom's band -- The Right Now -- getting ready to go through that door. The hallway comes to life in the second photo. Those are 1960s acid colors. I do love the sixties -- I grew up with the Beatles.

I also love the last picture of the band's back-up singers. They're in the dressing room getting ready to go on. Grandma J's favorite color is orange, but I'd like the picture even if it weren't tinted orange.

Your dad won awards in school for his photographs and paintings. He comes by his talent naturally from your great-grandfather Edward Jackson (my father). When my dad died, I discovered in our basement thousands of photographs that he had taken. I did not know the pictures existed. Uncle Bruce and I hope to catalogue and electronically preserve them for you and your children.

I'm not sure if my dad once believed that photography was his destiny. I do know he believed it saved his life during World War II. His platoon was lined up on a field, and an officer asked if anyone had photography experience. My dad raised his hand and was removed from his platoon to become an army photographer. Sadly, he said that everyone in his former platoon was killed during the war. I wonder if that's why he stopped pursuing his destiny -- if that's why we didn't know about the photographs in the basement.

Music, photography, art, writing. Ms. Angelene, whatever your destiny, you have creative genes.

Love, Your Grandma J

7/30/09