Ben McKeown

A couple of Sundays ago, I spent some time photographing a groundbreaking ceremony at Millbrook Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. The event was marking the start of a new building project on the grounds of the church. The job was nothing too out of the ordinary, mainly a photojournalistic endeavor. However simple the photography was, the experience was unusually personal. For about 10 years, my father and mother were ministers at this church. Subsequently, I’m left with many memories of the place as an important element in my growth to this point. Many of the faces were familiar, many of the voices were oh so recognizable, and even the walls of the current building seemed to speak to me as would a long lost friend. My good friend, Marshall was present as the videographer, and incidentally, we met nearly 15 years ago at this very church. It was interesting to reminisce about the past with him, remembering every face and voice with a touch of fondness.

It strikes me as particularly interesting how easily it is to forget the past, yet how equally easy it is to recall it. I’m always amazed at how my senses make me remember things that I otherwise would’ve forgotten. Sights, sounds, and smells (particularly smells) seem to trigger these hidden compartments of the brain to open and pour out feelings of the past. Thusly, it seems important to once in a while return to the places that have defined us, if for no other reason than to rediscover who we are.