Saturday Snapshots: April 24, 2010

"All that we send into the lives of others comes back into our own." ~ Edwin Markham

{These darling kids, in their 1950s cold weather garb, are cuter than a snowman and clearly ready to face the winter elements in matching style (I wonder if their mom knitted their lovely scarves?).}



{Four friends (and a tiny doll!) playfully goof around in this smile-inducing souvenir style portrait, which I’d peg to be from the 30s. Given that the plane says "Long Beach", I'd bet that this spirited shot was taken in California.}



{There is so much mystery to this beautiful, uniquely hand coloured shot. From the fact that this woman is wearing (what were considered at the time to be) very masculine clothes, to the look on her face that seems veer somewhere between uncertainty and coyness, there are so many questions that spring forth from this photo. Who was this woman – did she admire famous women of the day who dared to wear pant in public like Amelia Earhart and Katherine Hepburn or was she, perhaps, an actress spotting these threads for a role?}



{Numerous people gather around a long picnic table in this great slice-of-life shot, in which we see such going-ons as a woman tossing salad, two people exchanging a tidbit of food, and a woman (in an absolutely adorable novelty print skirt) caught mid-bite. I don’t know about you, but this shot makes me want to call up a gang of friends and head to the nearest park for a picnic this weekend! :) }



{A quintet of absolutely, incredibly well dressed women stroll down a street together in this photo from 1932, that really looks as though it could have come from a Hollywood film. Which of these enchantingly beautiful ladies’ looks is your favourite? I think I’m leaning towards the gal in the centre with her leopard fur coat complete with large – almost muff-like – cuffs.}



{A clear blue sky helps to invoke summertime feelings in this pretty 1954 shot of a Pomona (California) County Fair, featuring a very cool ferris wheel with neat "cage" like compartments for its riders.}



{Country charm flows through this great shot of a lone woman in a checkered dress holding a chicken. No background information is provided from this photo, but I’d guess that it’s from the 30s. No matter what year it hails from, this great picture is adorable!}



{He sells seashells by the seashore in this delightful colour snap from 1955 of a man in a uniform (complete with black bowtie) offering up shellfish and "Kold Lemonade" to tourists and New Orleans locals alike.}



{About thirty teenagers huddle around a large fierce looking statue of lion while on a field trip during the 1950s. I love shots like this because they give you a really good sense of what "real" (as opposed to holiday/magazine) kids were sporting during the fifties. From the girls’ cute summer dresses (and curled updos) to the boys’ cuffed shirts, these looks are what many of our parents who grew up during this decade would have donned for a school trip, too.}



{This captivating photo is one of those special finds that makes me long to hang it on my wall, admiring its timeless splendour day after day. Simple, but stunning, this young, lithe couple stare towards the sea, their faces unseen by the camera, making it feel as though they’re entrenched in a moment of quite, intense thought – or perhaps they’re merely admiring the serene beauty of the view around them.}

{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}


There is much to be said for notion of the butterfly affect as it applies to our everyday lives. The idea that the reverberations something we do has the possibility to radiate outward and have a profound impact on something – or someone – else way down the line. This concept can work both negatively and positively, though of course, the later is virtually always the desired end result.

I feel that this weekend’s quote is the perfect complement to the practice of doing random acts of kindness – simple gestures that are carried out from the goodness of our heart, with no ulterior motives, angles or desires. I believe strongly in doing random acts of kindness, be they for total strangers or cherished friends. Life can be daunting, stressful, trying, unpredictable, and flat out harsh sometimes, knowing that you can bring joy – or help ease the burden – for someone (or more than one person simultaneously) is an amazing feeling. Yet even if you know that somebody’s life is going well, there’s no reason why you can’t do something, no matter how inconsequential it may seem at the time, to make it even better. Deeds done unselfishly from the heart are amongst the best gifts any one can give or receive.

The things that we do in life have an almost funny way or resonating back to us. Some call it karma or fate, but I think that that it has more to do with the fact that we as human beings tend to remember those moments when somebody did something particularly nice for us (or conversely when we’ve been ill treated) and are apt to either return that kindness to same person later on, or to be inspired to do a thoughtful, caring deed for somebody else.

As the poet Edwin Markham wisely reminds in quote above, long before the term "random acts of kindness" had made its way into our everyday vernacular, all that we do (or say) has a way of coming back – often magnified – to us. Things have been this way for countless generations. It was so for the people in this selection of vintage photos, and it is equally spot on for each of us today. Which, if you ask me, is a beautiful thing, for who amongst us doesn’t love bringing kindness to the lives of all we know, and in turn witnessing it flow back to us in beautiful and often unexpected ways?