Disappearing Before Our Eyes

      In the autumn of 2005, we made a trip east.  There were two reasons for the trip.  The first reason was to visit an aunt and cousins in and near Columbus, Ohio.  The second reason was to visit the graves of ancestors in Ohio and Kentucky. 
     My third great-grandfather, Elisha Gates, is buried in St. Gregory Cemetery in Samuels, Kentucky.  Samuels is located in Nelson County, about eight miles northwest of Bardstown.  
     Yesterday, while on the findagrave website, I browsed through the names of those buried in the cemetery.  I came across a memorial for a person with the surname Gates but with unknown birth and death dates.  I took a closer look.  
     It is surprising how much the stone has changed in seven years.  Compare my picture,taken in 2005, with the picture taken in 2012. The person who took the latest picture had been uncertain about the name and dates.  The image will appear different based upon several factors.  Those factors include the time of year; the time of day; the weather; and the quality of the original camera.
     But the stone has changed.  How long will it last?  It will eventually disappear.  Will our digital images last as long?

     

The picture on the left was taken in 2005, while the one on the right was taken in 2012

Note: Names used for the cemetery and the nearby parish church:  St. Gregory; St. Gregorys; St. Gregory's; St. Gregory the Great;