Inspiration Thursday

 Precious Memories

Have you ever noticed that the older you get the more important memories become?  In fact, it seems that the past becomes more important that the future for some of us.  During the last few years of my father's life his military service in WWII became more important to him than at any other time in his life.  Some one gave him a WWII veteran baseball cap with the profile and name of his ship on it and he wore it everywhere he went.  There was a time in my life when my military service and time in Vietnam meant very little to me except that it was two years out of my life that I will never get back.  Today, I am proud of that time and when veterans are recognized at various events, I find myself filled with emotion and gratitude for the recognition.
One of the reasons that I have gotten relatively serious about photography is that photographs are a way of capturing memories.  Even when our mind has temporarily lost recollection of an event in our lives a photograph will bring it back to life and we can re-live special times with family and friends.  Those are the most important images to capture.  Yes, I take photos of cars, landscapes, autumn leaves, etc., but the most important images that I capture are those of my family and the times that we share.  The most important photographs that I own are some of those taken of my ancestors, long before I was born.  Those images connect me to people, some that I never met, who lived life in different times, but I am where I am because of some of their decisions.  Even if you have no real interest in photography, take the time to capture memories, print them and save them for your children, grandchildren and future generations that you will never meet this side of heaven.  Memories, they are precious.