Leaving and Waving (deannadikeman.com)

Article summary

The article discusses a photographer's 27-year project of taking pictures of their parents waving goodbye as they left their home in Sioux City, Iowa. The project, called 'Leaving and Waving', started as a way to cope with the sadness of leaving and turned into a ritual. The photographs chronicle the lives of the photographer's parents and their aging process, ultimately ending with an empty driveway after their passing. The project is part of a larger body of work called 'Relative Moments', which has been exhibited at the Charlotte Street Foundation La Esquina Gallery in Kansas City, MO.

Main themes

• Family and relationships
• Aging and mortality
• Photography as a medium for storytelling
• Nostalgia and memory
• Love and loss

What commenters say

• The project is a beautiful and emotional expression of love and loss, evoking strong feelings in those who experience it.
• Many people regret not spending more quality time with their parents and wish they had done things differently, highlighting the importance of cherishing time with loved ones.
• Some individuals have started or plan to start similar projects to document their own family's history and preserve memories, inspired by the article.
• The impermanence of life and the importance of appreciating time with loved ones is a recurring theme in the comments, with many people reflecting on their own experiences and relationships.
• The use of photography and other media to preserve family history and tell stories is a valuable way to hold onto memories and pass them down to future generations.
• Not everyone has a positive relationship with their family, and some people may not want to spend time with them or preserve memories, highlighting the complexity of family dynamics.