The Memory of a Picture

The Memory of a Picture

Have you ever heard the saying, "A Picture is worth a thousand words"? Well I am a firm believer in that. While writing this essay I was trying to think of what I could use, why I should use it, what would make a great topic for me to write about. I thought about using my favorite pairs of earring or an outfit, and then I thought of using a television. I had many ideas and they all seemed too insignificant to me. And then I looked upon my wall in my family room and saw a picture of my family. Then I knew what I would write about, in the picture there is my mother, father, and my brother and I, we are all dressed in black "after five affair" attire. The picture was taken at our church (Greater St. Stephen's) for an Annual Sunday School Banquet that we have. We had a great night, and everyone enjoyed themselves.

In Signs of Life in the USA a sign is defined as "anything that bears a meaning. Words, objects, images, and forms of behavior are all signs whose meanings are determined by the particular codes or systems in which they appear." In the same text a system is defined as "the codes, or network, within which a sign functions and so achieves its meaning through its associational and differential relations with other signs."

The reason I chose this sign, is because I love my family they are very supported of the decisions that I make and vise versa. I use this picture because it represents something that neither of my friends nor family members has, and that is parents that are actually still together, and love each other. My parents are important because they helped in my development. Also, they gave me the things that I needed to grow up in the moment that I needed and they still gave me everything that I needed to become somebody in the future. Among these things is the education that I have received all in my life, my basic needs like food, clothes, medicine, a place to live, and the most important thing, the love, by being there when I needed somebody to talk to and giving me speeches when I do something wrong. Also, they care for me when I am sick and they give me the necessary things to get better. They teach me good values like how to behave, to respect other people, and to share with other people. Sometimes they push me in certain directions and have high expectations for me, but now I really appreciate everything they have taught me. I understand why they do certain things and it is because my parents want the best for me. On certain occasions I get mad, but later appreciate their words of wisdom and understand.

This picture holds a special memory because, we rarely take pictures as a family now a days, and this was the last time we all actually have taken a picture altogether. I don't know how obvious it is to you but this picture was taken at my church at a banquet we had for all the Sunday School Teachers, both of my parents are teachers. I have been born and bred in the church, and my parents have instilled in me that "you must put God first before anything, then family, and friends."

From the photo we all look happy and enjoying life and that is just how we are. Even when hard times come we still show love and kindness to everyone. When that picture was taken we where "on top of the world" my brother and I were in our 2nd semester of college, he attend Catonsville Community College and I was here at Coppin. My dad had not so long ago found a job as an operator that he really liked after being laid off from his previous job of 25 years. My mother was doing well and returned back to the very high school as a guidance