Pictures

You might be wondering what Peace Corps Volunteers do in their free time. Or maybe you've never thought about it until I just put that idea into your head. Either way, I'll give you a little insight into my free time. Since I'm a teacher I'm pretty busy during the school term and I don't get a whole lot of time to myself. We're on break now though so I've had a bit of free time.

A few days ago I decided it was high time that I clean my room. Those of you who reallllllyyy know me, know that my room is usually in the state of extreme chaos. Not necessarily dirty, but cluttered with clothes, shoes, books, girly stuff, etc. You name it, its lying on my floor somewhere. Anyways while reorganizing my things I came across a ton of pictures I brought from home and a bunch that have been sent. I've also hung at least 80-100 pictures on my wall. Sometimes when looking at old photos we just flip through them quickly without really observing them. I took the time today to really look at my old pictures and it was an intense walk down memory lane.

I tried to remember the exact mood of every picture. Was it joy? Love? Intoxication? Maybe a candid shot showing a more serious side?

I looked at the faces of the people in the pictures. Some I know I'll never see again. They've either been taken from this world, or our friendship, although once thriving like a strong baobab tree, has dwindled away to nothing more than a mere acquaintance. Others were, at the time, not very important in my life, but they've slowly become a major part of what makes me happy. I can't imagine my life without some of the people in my pictures. Some of their faces tell the story of a love that was, but no longer is. Some are family: those who will stick by your side through thick and thin.

I looked at the scenes of the pictures. Halloween, college parties, family reunions, staff parties, graduation, school trips, prom, sporting events, birthdays/celebrations, and those that were taken for no particular reason other than someone had a camera at that given time. It forces you to remember the memories that are attached to those pictures. Some make you smile or laugh. Some make you regret the events which came after the photograph was taken. Mostly they make me miss my past. Being young and free without a care in the world. Remembering (blurry) summer nights with friends and six packs of what ever we could get on sale. They make me miss my friends and family too. I haven't seen some of these people in years let along taken any new pictures with them.

Pictures, to me, are a strange phenomena in this world. A digital hard copy of a single split second in time that can never be changed, replicated, relived or erased. I've heard a picture is “worth a thousand words”, but it's only when you really let your pictures speak to you that you hear what they have to say.

I can only hope that my future has many more beautiful moments than my past and I can't wait to put more memories on my wall.