The Power of a Photograph

I realized yesterday in a very moving and clear moment that our photographs have a power unlike anything else. Our photos are so very important. Each moment of life passes before we know it.  Today transitions into tomorrow, winter into spring, babies into graduates. We are powerless to stop it or slow it down. Taking photos is the closest we can get to holding onto time. Our photos are there for us when we need them. They give us deep comfort, validation and joy when we need it most.  

I also realized yesterday that the power in our photos comes from the people who are in them and the memories we share with them. We need to make sure that we are in the photos of our own lives. It doesn’t matter if our hair is messy or if we have pimples on our face or an extra 15 pounds on our bodies. It doesn't matter if the photo is perfect or even if everyone is smiling nicely. We need to be in our photos. We need the selfies with our kids, the snapshots of fun times with our friends and the giant group picture at the family reunion. Please don’t talk yourself out of those photos. You will not regret being in them. You will not regret having them. You and your loved ones will cherish them more than just about anything else.  

Starting today I am going to take my own advice. I am going to take more selfies and hand my camera off to whoever is nearby so I can be in the photos with everyone I love. I hope that you will too.

With much love & light,

Emily