Be in the Pictures: "This isn't about you"

Last year, I took a lovely trip with my sister to one of her favorite places on earth.  Because it's a beach, it's automatically one of my favorite places, too, even though I'd never been there before.

One day, we were on a small ferry to an island where one of the ferry employees offered to take our picture.  We said, "Sure!" as we laughed a little about our very, very windblown hair.  

She took the picture and then told us a very short story that has become one of my favorite stories about pictures.

The Story:  This Isn't About You

She told us that her daughter recently wanted to take a photo of her, but she declined because she didn't think she look very good that day.  

Her daughter said, “This isn’t about you.  It’s about when you’re dead so that I have pictures of you to look at."

We laughed, mostly at the bluntness of the statement, but I really appreciated the reason behind the argument.  

Eventually, photos and videos and maybe even some audio recordings will be all we have left of someone special.

When we had this photo taken on the ferry, neither of us were trying to be a part of a beauty contest or have something airbrushed to make us look ten years younger.  (Why do we do that?!  Age is something to be proud of because we've earned it!)

We were just enjoying time together as sisters in a beautiful place where we had a completely delightful time.  Together.  And, hello, there were wild horses on that island behind us!! 

Just Do It

Just do it.  Be in the pictures.  Don't worry about if your hair is everywhere or you have wrinkles or gray hair ("sparkles") or if your eyelids are heavier than they used to be.  Guess what.  This is what I looked like at 52.  And this is something great that I did when I was 52.  So I should have some pictures of it!

It's about the moment, not about some ridiculous ideal that nobody can really live up to.  

I know it can be hard to get over ourselves in this world so focused on appearances, but to the people you matter the most to, they don't see anything but YOU.  The person they love.

The Two-Part Challenge

This is hard for most of us, I know.  This two-part challenge is for me too (although I've nailed part 2!)  

PART 1:  Look beyond appearances to the MOMENT and what's MEANINGFUL in a photo!  Look at the memories.  Begin to see something you'll cherish 5 or 25 years from now.  See something that those who love you will cherish even beyond that.

PART 2:  Celebrate memories.  Share your pictures.  Get them off your phone!  They don't get seen there.  Shared photos and memories and stories make life meaningful and have a whole host of personal and interpersonal benefits like these.

Then, get started preserving and sharing them in pages.  It doesn't have to be hard or complicated.  There are two different options at that link to fit your time and interest, and both of them are printed in highest quality bindings, papers, and inks to last generations.

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