Facial recognition

Just before the holidays, I was going through some photographs that my dad took during college (he studied photography). There was one of my sister that, when I saw it, just really made me think of her almost-5-year-old son. 

The interesting thing is that it wasn't a feature that made me match them together. Maybe the eyes, but even then, his eyes and her eyes, if you lined them up next to each other, wouldn't scream, "HEY! THIS KID STOLE YOUR EYES!!!" It was really more of the look in general in the photograph. I have seen that look in my mischievous little nephew many times.

I had the same experience with another child of that sister while there for the holidays. This particular child has always been confused with her younger sister, but there were a couple of times during the break that something about her expression and voice was so similar to her older sister. 

That's how this whole "match the child with the relative" thing works for me. Glimpses and glances and intonations.** A profile or a laugh or a gesture. I once went to an event where I heard a kid talking and knew immediately that he was my history teacher's son. Another time I read an article in a magazine and wondered if it was written by Jeffrey R. Holland. Turned out to be written by his son. 

And with my nieces and nephews, and even siblings, I do see certain facial features that are similar (the Reynolds nose and blue eyes), so we aren't dissimilar. But I also don't think we all look as alike as some people say we do (although there is that picture of me and my younger sister at her wedding. Yep, I saw that and kind of got why everyone always mixes me up with her). 

Every now and then, though, our kinship comes through loud and clear. I kind of like those moments. 

*Probably because 1) I'm not super great at picking apart people to identify which feature came from which parent/parent's side of the family and 2) it seems like once you get to know someone, they are just themselves. 

**In fairness, I feel like I sound like this sister for about a month after I come back from a visit. Although, I also feel like I sound like characters from Jane Austen books for about a week after I finish reading one.