To Capture Memories Without A Single Picture

 

I forget to take pictures. And that annoys me. Not all the time, mind you. But at times that will make me look back and say to myself, "I can't believe I didn't take any pictures!"

Case in point: I just spent a couple of days with an old friend. Not that she is old, but our friendship goes way back. We met when our children were very young, in fact some had not yet been born. We sat around at that time in our lives and pondered about what it would be like to sit together and watch our grandchildren play one day. This last weekend was one of those days.

I was literally with her when her youngest son was born, and now I sat in her house and conversed with his daughter. Adorable child who asked me if I could do a somersault. Did I get a picture with her? No, I just watched her play with her cousins, after I informed her that I could not perform a somersault without something breaking. (Either in my friend's living room or in me.)

We ate, laughed and reminisced. A game of Bocce Ball with another granddaughter resulted in yet another missed opportunity for photographic memories of a summer evening in Kentucky. 

I thought several times throughout our time together to pick up my phone and get a picture. Of my husband and myself with our friends, of the beautiful property that they have settled on, or the family surrounding them. As we drove away heading off on the remainder of our trip, I chastised myself for once again forgetting. 

I have to say, however, that I actually didn't forget. I thought of it, but was immersed in the moment. I was enjoying the people, the conversation and the activity. The snapshots that I took were ones that I snapped in my head, to sit alongside the ones that I have of days long gone.

 Our children growing up side-by-side. My friend and I muddling through young motherhood together. Figuring out potty-training, homeschooling, getting kids through puberty, then watching them grow up and leave home. All of those 'reels' are in my mind, brought back in a blink.

We talk now and then, and our conversations ping-pong between those days and now. Our children are grown and raising their own children. We see pictures of each others's lives and love each other's children, so in turn their children. 

We all have those deep memory banks of virtual photos in our minds. Mental pictures that were created at that moment and our memory keeps for us. Like the old time slide projector, clicking through thousands of images. 

It would be nice to be able to pull them out and share them with others--but let's be real. Who really would sit and look at them? They really are just for us. 

So, I will lock away those special moments from last weekend. Remember with fondness and smile when I picture those boys I watched grow up, men now, with families. Friends who knew you when you were young and experienced life's best times, yes and worst, with you. Treasure quiet evenings hoping for a glimpse of a firefly.

But, I promised myself nonetheless, that next time I will get a picture.