by L.D. Kirklin
Memory Cards
It wasn’t that long ago when I had the ‘brilliant’ idea to go back to school. As I prepared for the semester to start, I remember standing in the college bookstore, feeling completely overwhelmed and unequal to the tasks I had chosen for myself. That was a humbling realization. I chose the path. I did it to myself, and I alone was responsible for my current slate of struggles. ***GULP***
In an effort to prevent the downward spiral of my mentality, I snapped a picture of my wearied expression and sent it to my friends. I included a caption that both explained the discouraged expression on my face and expressed my doubts…
“Going back to school at my age has to be one of the craziest things I’ve ever done…and I’m really not sure what that says about me!”
I’d been out of school for … more years than I’m going to admit right now, and I am pretty sure that when I graduated then, several people passed out from the sheer shock of it. Sitting still? Paying attention for hours on end? I mean really, what was I thinking? I was not a good student as a kid, why did I think anything would be different as an adult? Well, the subject matter was why I thought it.
As it turned out, one of the requirements for my program of study was a class in photography. Being a photographer already, I thought surely, I would enjoy that class. Taking pictures, learning new techniques, and growing my skills all seemed like reasons why I could be a good student at my current age. There was more to learn, and I was ready to learn it…and I did, quickly. I learned that I don’t like being graded on things I enjoy, nor do I like taking pictures of things that I don’t mean anything to me.
You see, the point of photography, to me anyway, is not just to capture an image, but to capture a memory or feeling as well, or at least to create one. If you consider the pictures we have hanging on our walls or stored in our phones, there is likely a memory attached to each one. Pictures of friends and family are obvious memory makers. Just the glimpse of someone we love can flood our minds with those fond “remember when” moments. A picture of a beautiful flower on the other hand can make us think of someone we know who loves gardening, while a picture of a flowing waterfall can remind us of a fun hike we took with friends. Pictures just have a way of holding memories.
Of course, not all memories are good, so pictures can also be reminders of difficult moments in life. Much like that picture I came across of me standing in the college bookstore, overwhelmed and filled with doubt. That was not a happy moment in my life when it occurred, but I consider it a happy one now. You see, when I saw that picture the other day, the thing I remembered most was the encouragement I received from my friends. I felt overwhelmed, but they reminded me that day that I was able to do difficult things, and they were right … I passed the semester with flying colors and accomplished more than I ever thought I could.
The fact of the matter is cameras are not the only picture taking devices around. We all take pictures in our mind every day, and somewhere out there, someone is taking a picture of us. I once heard it said that a person won’t remember what you did, but they will remember how you made them feel.
So, what picture of you, of me, do people have on their memory card? Does someone have a picture of our kindness or a picture of our hurtful words? Does someone have a memory of our grace or of our criticism? Do people see us and remember our encouragement or the gossip we spread? Do they picture us and feel better, or do they feel worse?
Now granted, no one is perfect. We all have rough moments and bad days when our not-so-flattering side shows itself. The question is, are we aware of it? Are we aware of the memory we are creating for those we love and for those we encounter along the way? Do we realize that the things we do and say have a great effect on the pictures that others take?
Let’s face it, life can be hard. We all need good pictures, good memories to carry around, and every day is filled with endless opportunities to show our good side to the cameras around us.
Say cheese! … and never underestimate the Power of Perspective
