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This ship has already sailed, I am sorry to say.

My mum used to have a physical album of family pictures, most of which were hugely embarrassing. But, at least, I had some control who could view these. Some came into my possession after she died and I did not hesitate to destroy each and every one of them.



Calling something "embarrassing" leaves a lot of room for interpretation so I can't comment on your specific situation, but I have pictures my mom took of me as a baby naked, breastfeeding, etc and I would never consider destroying these. I also generally find it weird when adults consider something they did before the age of 5 or so embarrassing. Like you're a literal tiny child not responsible for your actions - nothing you do is embarrassing because very little is under your conscious control.


What would be SO EMBARRASSING that you burn heirlooms from a lost relative?


I also inherited the family photoalbums and ended up burning MANY pictures.

I learned from this the dishonest attempts at "making right" were exactly that: dishonest.

My own mother had a streak for photographing nudes (myself included) and she "promised" that these had all been destroyed. They had not. They now are.


What’s so memorable or “heirloom” about a crappy or embarrassing picture of yourself taken by someone else? It’s not as if the relative lovingly painted it from scratch - it’s just a photograph.


Our family photos included one particular photo of me, a rear view holding a garden hose.

And it was extremely embarrassing, but not because of its subject matter. It was embarrassing because, for decades, my mother used it as a weapon against me. It was one of those things to emasculate and humiliate me for being a boy and for having a natural body. It was a way to tease me and implemented as a source of shame.

It was just another brick in the wall, of course, but unfortunately I didn't get proper access to burn it when I had the chance. It might still exist, for all I know. I may perhaps eventually get a golden opportunity for final satisfaction.


Simply baby photos caught at the right moment that may appear funny to others. The world is no lesser place without them.




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