Over the years I've talked about my Great Great Grandfather. He was born around 1830. I inherited maybe four photos of him. But I know barely anything about him other than he was in the Civil War fighting on the Union side (thank god). I have the original version of this portrait above my desk at home. I think I look like him. So the other day it occurred to me that ChatGPT might be able to bring my old black and white photos to life.
It was an image of my Great Great Grandfather I'd never seen.
This was a portrait of my Great Great Grandmother, my Great Great Grandfather and my grandmother. It breathed new life into their memory. Then I asked ChatGPT to bring me face to face with my Great Great Grandfather.
There were no photos of my Great Great Grandfather from the side so this really was powerful to me. Plus ChatGPT gave him a hint of a smile. Now he does look like David Letterman but I can see myself in him. It's as if we could look at each other and I could ask all of these questions about who he actually was versus how I imagined he was. He had died before my mother was born so she never spoke about him. His wife was about 20 years younger than he was so my mother knew her. I heard lots of stories about her but never her husband.
I showed a version of me next to my Great Great Grandfather and her reaction was that I should lose my beard so I wouldn't look as old as him. But I don't think he looks so much old as someone who lived a long and probably hard life. So I'm proud to have a beard like his.
Besides, even if I shaved it, I'd still look old, but old with a fat face. So I imagine my Great Great Grandfather would pat me on the shoulder and say, "Grow the bear back boy."
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