Hi Reader,

Somewhere in your collection, there's probably a photo of someone nobody can name. Maybe it's a young woman in a cloche hat standing next to your grandmother, or a row of cousins squinting into the sun at a picnic. You've likely flipped past it a dozen times, meaning to ask about it someday. October is Family History Month, which makes this a good week to pull that photo back out. 📸

For a lot of us, those chances showed up quietly, years ago. An aunt mentioned over Thanksgiving dinner that she used to know everyone in those old albums. A cousin said Grandpa's slides were sitting in her basement and somebody should really go through them. In the moment, it was easy to nod and move on, because there was pie to serve and everyone was talking at once. Those small comments were the signal, and they didn't stay on offer forever.

When the person who knew is gone, the photo is still a lovely picture of someone smiling at the camera. Nobody can tell your grandchildren who she was anymore, though, or the story behind the photo. A name penciled on the back would have taken someone five seconds to write. That's the part that stings when you finally notice it.

So here's a small Family History Month assignment, if you're up for it. Pick one mystery photo and think about who else might know something, even if they're younger than you. A cousin or an old friend of your mom's might remember a name you never heard. A quick text with a picture of the photo and "Do you know who this is?" is plenty. Clues in the photo itself can help too, like the make of a car or a date stamped on the border.

If you've become the person everyone else would call, that's worth noticing. You may be the last one who knows who's standing next to Grandma in that picture. Write down whatever you remember now, even if it's only a first name and a guess, in a notebook or on your phone. Someday a grandchild will hold that photo and be so glad you did.

I'd love to hear about your mystery photo, too. Hit reply and tell me who you think might be in it, or what you already know about it. These are some of my favorite emails to get. 📬

Warmly,
Fancy

P.S. Our October WorkRoom is next Wednesday, October 14th, starting at 9 am MDT. You can see what time that is where you live. Each hour, we set a small goal and check back in, then wash, rinse, and repeat. It's a great time to tackle that mystery photo (or a whole box of them). Learn more or register here.​

P.P.S. Want a heads-up about our community events about a week before each one? Click here and I'll send you the details and registration links about three times a month. You're never obligated to come, and you can hop in whenever the timing works for you.