Today as I was looking out the window I saw a cardinal and a
blue jay next to each other in the same tree.
I have been enjoying watching the birds out my window (minus the giant
Woodpecker that eats ALL of the food in the feeder). Because I love taking pictures I have lately
been trying to capture those great bird moments. I mean they aren’t dancing or anything, or
holding up a wing as if saying hello but they are just there being cute almost
as if they are asking for me to take their picture.
I quietly walked over to where my camera sat, picked it up,
excited to take the perfect photo and…..they both flew away. Uggg.
I so wanted that picture on this perfect, sunny spring day. My husband always tells me to “just enjoy the
moment and forget running to get the camera. Keep the picture in your
mind.” So, I guess today that’s what I
did.
I do have the feeling of the sense of accomplishment when I
take or get a picture of something extra special. I recall pictures captured throughout the
last year of people and events that I cherish in my heart. My oldest son on his wedding day dancing with
his mom as she cried big alligator tears is a picture that I look at and recall
that special time. I remember my son
Zachary getting into his first car, a bright yellow Ford escape, smiling from
ear to ear. I have mental pictures of my
husband and daughter being silly with each other, telling jokes, and going out
to go skiing together. These things I
hold on to deep in my heart. I never
want to forget the time, place, sounds, and smells of where these captured
shots took place.
Today a friend posted a special picture of herself with a
friend on Facebook. It was a beautiful
picture, they were both dressed up and it was apparently a very special
occasion. I bet that day together was amazing
for them. The reason she posted it was because it was her friend’s birthday and
her friend had passed away suddenly last year.
She was looking back at one of their special times together and
remembering it with fondness. After looking at that, I was reminded of just
what it means to capture those perfect moments.
Yes, for her, there was that one perfect physical picture but I also know
that there are many other pictures that my friend can scroll through in her
mind with her best friend and have with her at any moment, for all time.
Pictures are a wonderful thing to hold on to so that we can
remember people or events. However, I
think my husband really does have the right idea about keeping those moments in
our memories and holding tight to them.
I wonder today if I hadn’t have gone to get my camera but would have
just stood at the window and enjoyed the moment how much nicer that “picture”
would have been for me? By nature I’m a
photographer, wanting to capture those perfect moments, but I think I need to
remember to live in the moment, capture it in my thoughts and memorize every
detail possible for the snapshot in my mind.
Take a snapshot in your mind today and hold on to it dearly.
