50 Years in Pictures!

50 Years in Pictures 

Creating the 50th birthday collage for Margaret was a thrilling challenge from start to finish. 

It all started when her sister, Selomie, reached out to me during a short visit to the U. S. 

Selomie had explained her idea: a photo collage embedded within the number 50, 

capturing the essence of her sister’s incredible life journey—from high school graduation to marriage, motherhood, globetrotting, and her impactful work as a youth leader. The catch? Her sister lived in the Caribbean, and Selomie didn’t have many photos of her, aside from a few snapshots on her phone.

"Do you think you can pull this off?" Sharon asked, her eyes hopeful yet filled with doubt. 

I smiled. "Absolutely. But we’ll have to get creative." 

We brainstormed ways to gather the photos without tipping her sister off about the surprise. Selomie loved the idea of covering her sister’s entire life story, not just her recent moments, so we devised a sneaky but clever plan. 

Selomie would casually call her sister and ask for photos to "build a digital scrapbook to share with the family." Selomie told her to email the photos so everyone could view them online. To make it convincing, Selomie mentioned she was missing old photos of special moments like graduations and family vacations. It was the perfect cover. 

Within a few days, her sister sent a treasure trove of pictures. Selomie forwarded them to me with an excited, “We’ve got them!” 

I sifted through the collection, carefully selecting images that told the story of her vibrant, inspiring life. There was her high school graduation photo—beaming with youthful energy. A beautiful snapshot of her wedding day, her smile radiant as she held her husband’s hand. Pictures of her children growing up, moments of laughter, love, and pride. Photos from her travels to picturesque beaches and bustling cities. And finally, images of her leading and inspiring young people, her passion and warmth shining through every frame. 

I worked tirelessly on the design, embedding these memories into the shape of the number 50. Every image was placed with intention, ensuring her story flowed seamlessly from one milestone to the next. 

When the collage was finished, I held my breath as I handed it to Selomie. Her eyes widened, and then she gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. “This is perfect,” she whispered. Then, without warning, she threw her arms around me in a tight, heartfelt hug. 

“You nailed it,” she said, “This is exactly what I envisioned. She’s going to love it.” 

In that moment, all the late nights and the creative problem-solving felt worth it. I had taken Selomie’s vision and turned it into something tangible, something that celebrated her sister’s incredible 50 years of life. 

Selomie left for the Caribbean the next day, taking the signature board with her. I imagined the joy on her sister’s face when she saw it, and it made me smile. It was more than a gift—it was a lifetime of memories captured in one beautiful frame.