why photos matter

there are so many reasons photos matter, but I noticed something a few weekends ago and wanted to share with you all.

recently we helped get together the selling of my husband's grandparent's house and all the stuff inside. emphasis on "stuff". last year his grandpa died. this past year we lost his grandmother and a few months ago, my mother-in-law. family was in town to go through the grandparent's house and while it took several days you know what took the most time? going through the boxes and boxes (and boxes) of photos. while I could go in to how nice it would have been if those photos were in a scrapbook or album, I won't.

the most precious find amid all the THINGS were the photos. the significance of reminiscing and remembering and reliving those memories contained in each photo were beyond priceless. stories were shared. tears and laughter. piles set aside for each family member to take and share with their family and to keep to share with their children....and so on.

and it just made me think--how thankful I am to have a hobby that includes taking photos. because those matter. they do. it didn't matter that the photo looked perfect. it didn't matter that it was blurry or that the color was off. there were no perfect professional looking photos and you know what?
it didn't matter.

I don't want my photos to live in my computer or my phone. I don't want to get caught up in only printing what I deem as "perfect" photos. yes, I want to learn to take a great one and use my camera. but let's not let that stop us from the actual taking of the photo and the living of the moment.

in the end there was an empty house. tables and boxes full of junk. but the true treasure were those photos.

yesterday, two peas in a bucket announced they were closing and a little piece of my heart broke. that online community was my first introduction to what scrapbooking could be. it was the first online store I ordered from, the first message board I participated in and the first gallery I loaded a layout to. it was my first scrapbooking related dream--to get to be a garden girl and last year when I did, it was a great experience.  I can't imagine what the owners are feeling today and I wish all the best to Jeff & Kristina. they are a class act.

it can make you wonder, what on earth is happening to this hobby so many of us love? and while I don't have all the answers, or any really, I can offer this...

your photos matter. it is part of what you leave behind that doesn't get put in an auction or thrown away. those photos remind us of a memory... a laugh, a smile, a tear, that would otherwise be forgotten. it is a window that remains open to the past, helping remind you of those all too fleeting beautiful, ordinary days.

so whether you are scrapbooking your photos or just jotting down a memory on the back of it...
don't stop.