so I decided to tackle the mess that is my digital photo library, thinking it would be a quick, mindless task. Spoiler alert: it was anything but. I started scrolling through pictures from a recent family reunion and suddenly I was hit with a tidal wave of nostalgia. Who knew my camera roll was basically a time capsule filled with memories?

I stumbled upon a series of photos that made me stop in my tracks. They weren't just your average family snapshots. No, these were pure gold, capturing moments I didn't even realize were happening at the time. There was my uncle, who I thought was just being his usual distant self, looking genuinely engaged in conversation. And my cousins, who I hadn’t seen since dinosaurs roamed the earth, caught mid-laugh, bridging those awkward gaps that usually come with family reunions.

It was wild to see these dynamics play out in the photos. I had been so focused on getting the "perfect" shot that I completely missed the real moments happening right in front of me. I mean, who cares if the lighting is perfect when you’re watching your cousin’s eyes light up as they share a story about that time they accidentally set their kitchen on fire?

Looking back, I think I was just so preoccupied with capturing everything that I forgot to actually enjoy it. Photography is supposed to help us hold on to those memories, but sometimes it feels like it robs us of experiencing them in real time. So here I am, staring at these pictures, realizing that maybe next time I just need to put my phone down and soak it all in.

Stories in the same category