June 20 Photo: Favorite Photo You've Ever Taken

Being married to a semi-professional photographer with a great eye and even better equipment, I don’t take a lot of photos. And those that I do take aren’t especially spectacular. But as the saying goes, even a blind pig finds a truffle now and then. So I do have a few of my own photos that I’d call favorites.

Not surprisingly, most of my favorite photos that I’ve taken are of my kids. They’re photogenic as well as funny, so the skill of the photographer is a minimal contribution to the quality of the pictures. There are some where they’re doing cute things, or making cute expressions, or wearing cute clothes – or sometimes all three. But if I had to choose one single photograph that I’ve taken over the past few years that is my favorite photo of all, I’d have to choose this one.

I took this photograph in August of 2010. My mom had finished treatment for ovarian cancer that included two major surgeries and several rounds of chemotherapy, and she was finally beginning to feel healthy again. My son, her first (and at that time only) grandchild was the greatest joy of her life, and the feeling was definitely mutual. He was only 9 months old but he absolutely knew and recognized his Grammy Martha, and he adored her. My mom loved coming over and spending time with our family and especially with my son, and this photo was taken at one of a number of summer evenings that she spent poolside with us.

Sadly, her cancer returned a few months later and she passed away in April 2011, when I was pregnant with my daughter. Seeing this photograph makes me wish that I had a similar one of my mother with my daughter. But I love that years from now, I will be able to show this photo to my son and tell him about his wonderful Grammy Martha and how much she loved him.