Memory is a funny thing. I can’t remember where I put my phone 30 seconds ago or what time softball practice is every Tuesday, but I remember the exact time, the song playing, or the conversation when a significant event happened in my life.
I remember the song that played the first time I got my heart broken, the night I knew Kate would be my best friend forever, and the conversation I was having when I got the call about my aunt. I remember the song playing when my boyfriend first told me he loved me, what I yelled at my mom before I finally understood her, and the exact clothes I was wearing when a coach said the words that have motivated me ever since.
Little moments like these have marked those days and feelings in my brain forever. These cues remind me how I felt in that moment and sometimes that I never want to feel that way again. Even my favorite pictures aren’t necessarily my favorite because of how I look or because the lighting is perfect, but because of the moment when that picture was taken. These pictures remind me of who I was in that moment and how I felt. Some pictures remind me why I am here, some remind me who is rooting for me, some make me eager for the future, and others simply make me happy. It has become a habit of mine to look at these pictures and let the moments consume me when I find myself questioning these things. I have lined my dorm room with these moments, so I never fall short of knowing who I am, where I am supposed to be, or who is rooting for me.
Pictures from my favorite family vacations remind me how much my parents have supported and provided for me throughout my life. Pictures of my proudest achievements remind me why I deserve to be playing collegiate softball, and how hard I have worked. Several pictures on my wall are from my childhood softball teams to remind me who I am playing for and how much I love the game. My favorite pictures though, are the ones with my best of friends having the greatest time and being truly happy. Our smiles in those pictures illuminate the room and make me smile just looking at them. Along with the rest of the pictures, they remind me why I am the way I am and who has influenced and supported me the most. These pictures are a constant reminder of who is there for me no matter what. All of these feelings and moments excite me for the future where I get to make more precious memories to put on the walls of my future homes.
All through time, photographs have been referenced and used to document history and show future generations how people before them got from one day to the next. To this day, pictures remain as essential as they have ever been. They allow us to not only freeze precious moments but preserve them in time, so they are at our disposal any time we need them. I often catch myself staring at my walls filled with these precious moments, remembering each smile, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.