There is so much to life worth sharing and so many stories and experiences that are worth listening to. One day you might be hiking up a mountain and finally reach your destination, a beautiful view spread out in front of you that is worth sharing with others. A picture can capture the moment perfectly, but imagine you don’t have a camera. How can you still capture that breathtaking sight?
One’s mind is possibly the most important and powerful tool he or she can have. It is the storage unit, the filing cabinet, and the garage. It is “life’s camera," as well as its own personal movie theater. The memories we create are once in a life time shots. The ability to just go back in time because of a sound we hear, an aroma we smell, or a similarity we see is truly fascinating. Our memories archive our milestones, best times, traditions and memorable moments. It takes us back to times we haven't thought much about.
This school year is a milestone for my younger sister because she just started high school. Becoming a student in high school alone already bares plenty of “photos.” It’s a new environment, new people, and a new experience, but it’s not much of a new place, per se. The building where her high school is now used to be my elementary school, which today has since closed.
Taking a tour pushed a series of memories, or photos, to the forefront of my mind. As I walked around I could just see that portion of the movie in my mind. Remembering my kindergarten classroom and the cubby I used to have. The hallway we use to practice dance routines in. The room we use to gather together to watch “Polar Express” when it came close to winter break. The lesson where my classmates and I learned our spelling words by spelling them out on the desk with shaving cream. The tree stump where I busted my lip open while playing tag. All of these forming a personal photo album. Moments I can look back on and just smile or laugh. Moments I haven't thought of in years. But I still had those perfect photos that allowed me to transform everything I was looking at to the things I saw way back when. It was like my shadow kept shrinking down a grade level as I turned corners. My locker used to be here. This use to be so and so's office. This was the exit we used whenever we had a fire drill.
Use the perfect camera there is: Your mind. Take “shots” that will capture the beauty before you or just everyday life moments. They are all special and you will always have a copy of them. You don't have to worry about trying to fix the lighting or change your angle because it will already be done without needing to be touched. So next time you climb that mountain, let your memories be your pictures and your mind the camera.
