Growing up one of the most fun, yet simultaneously annoying things, about any event was getting your picture taken. This simple routine ensured that you'd have evidence that the event happened. You existed. And, for a brief moment, looked as you did. Sometimes I love to get my picture taken. Other times I hate it. Either way, being able to look through my photo album and reminisce about memories, people, and a specific time in my life is something I really enjoy. But I'm really worried. Now that we have phones and everything is stored on our computers, what if something happens to those files and my kids do not get to witness their childhood from a distance? As I watch Little Guy grow so rapidly, this fear becomes more and more poignant.
The same thing can be said for video. My younger brother routinely has weekend home video marathons. He starts with the earliest tape from before I was born and watches through to the most recent one. He loves to see us a toddlers and laugh at the dumb things we said and did as kids. Now all of life is condensed into 30 second clips for Facebook as seen through a sepia filter.
I don't want that for my kids. I want them to get curious, be able to pick up a photo album, flip through it, and watch their history progress. I loved nothing more than seeing picture after picture of my parents as children. "I make the same face as Daddy!" "Wow, I really look a lot like Mommy does there."
Hard copies of pictures give all generations something so important. Hubby and I plan to routinely go through our computers and print things out for our kids. I just hope that drug stores keep allowing us to do that...
Every time I see your face
It reminds me of the places we used to go
But all I've got is a photograph
And I realize you're not coming back anymore
Photograph - Ringo Starr
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