A Mysterious Woman from the Past

Sorting through paperwork from a family estate, we found a large envelope filled with old photos. 

We weren't sure where they came from or who they were. 

As I sifted through them, I looked for evocative images on cardboard or heavy paper.

And here's what I found . . . Isn't she a beauty?

This photo of a mysterious young woman, probably from the turn of the century,

touched my heart but I wasn't sure why.

Was it the portrait's glimpse into the past --
another era gone by, a time before cell phones or video or computers?

It's hard to look at these old photos without wondering about the story behind them.

Was it the pose that drew me to her -- so unusual for that time period?

Is she dreaming about something, perhaps unattainable, but so very desirable?

Or maybe she's remembering a lost love, 

resting her elbow on the arm of the chair with her hand against her face,

imagining it's his hand.

What about her long, loose hair?

Most women in these old photos wore their hair pinned up or gathered in a tight bun. 

And her hands look smooth and soft. 

Was she a daughter of privilege? 

Or was she a governess, missing her family far away?

Although the photo is sepia-toned, I imagine she had red hair and green eyes. 

With that ivory skin, she must have been enchanting.

Her dress, while modest, suggests a sensuality and youthful desire.

You can't help but notice her teeny tiny waist. 

Is there a corset cinched up under that dress?

Sometimes there's a note on the back of these old photos

with the name of the person in the picture or a date like the one below.

Scrawled in flowery handwriting in ink or smudged pencil, 

these simple notes often tell you something about the people in the photo.

Unfortunately, the back of this photo is blank.  

So we don't know who she was, where she was from
or why she has that faraway look in her eyes.

There's something about this picture that haunts me and captures my heart.

So I tuck it into the mirror on my desk so that I see it every time I sit down to write.

This mysterious woman from the past sends my thoughts swirling
and inspires me to follow my dreams. 

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