The common saying, a picture holds a thousand words, applies to my life. Growing up, my mom always took pictures of us as kids, whether it was formal family pictures or funny friendly pictures at the park or a birthday party. She never failed to capture a photo even if the lighting was bad or if someone wasn’t looking. We spent hours flipping through the pages of the photo albums each of us remembering the stories that coexist within the 4x6 frame. 

Many times people ask why I always feel the need to take a picture, or that I should just live in the moment. But something inside of me fears that if I don’t take a picture, I will forget the good in my life. Life can be scary. It can be frustrating, it can be depressing. When I remember a memory for a picture, my heart starts to glow. Inner love and fulfillment flow through my body. No matter what's going on in my life, looking back at pictures never fails to relieve my stress and sadness. Looking at pictures reminds me how great life can be. It reminds me that there's always hope, and things can always get better. 

I love remembering the funny jokes at Christmas dinner with my cousins when Grandma dropped all the pizzas on the kitchen floor. Or remembering a couple of beach trips down to Lake Geneva with my best friend Estella. But of course, memories aren’t always positive. I remember when my parents told me my dad had cancer. Or I remember when my mom got stuck in a bad storm in the middle of the night. Or even remembering when my cousin left for college. Capturing not only the good but also the bad, reminds me that life is like a roller coaster. Sometimes it goes up, sometimes it goes down, and sometimes it's even upside down. But I always know it's never stuck in one position. 

I hope that one day I can pass my love for capturing moments down to my future children. Sharing my old photos with them and telling them each of the stories that each picture holds, the same way my mom did for me, in the hope of teaching them that the ride is never over.