I shot the two photographs above an epoch apart. Geographically, in different places – in Africa, the remote town of Yola on a newly set university campus, and in Tokyo, Japan, during Marathon; in drastically unlike situations for our family, economically, socially, legally; and not to forget – with disparate photo tools: Kodachrome film back then versus a digital SLR of today.
In the open African school yard temperatures easily passed 40 degrees Celsius (reaching 110 Fahrenheit) with growing humidity at the end of the dry season. In Tokyo, on the morning start of the run, it was 6 degrees Celsius (43 Fahrenheit), and it gradually raised, which was comfortable for the runners.
Each picture shows several figures, but the focus is on Milena, my stepdaughter. In 1974 she was a second grader; in 2023 a marathon runner with bib number 55259. She was with me in Nigeria and appears on pages of my memoir, see the picture on page 127. In chapter 23, she plays the protagonist as we discuss migrants, happiness and wonderful destiny for us. With our perseverance and diligence, we have gained fulfilment. She is a fit and energetic woman, her family is happy, and she looks young and smiling fool blast. And I am delighted, as a traveller, to fly over to Japan, to witness one of the six marathon majors, explore the country with my wife and Milena’s family, take pictures, and write a memoir.
As time passes, we have to take advantage of everything we’re given in this world. We need to contemplate our experience and share it with others. So we put pictures on social media, and if rightly focused, we write memoirs. “Life is good!” Milena often texts me, and I look forward to more of the good and satisfactory, moderating the expectations, of course.