In my last post, I discussed the importance of taking candid photos. In this post I delve into the idea of looking back at old photos to jog old memories. 

Who: Me
What: Posing with my toy cars from Cheeburger Cheeburger
Where: My Old Kitchen Floor
When: Circa 2005

The Cars:
When I was younger, my grandparents used to take me to the local Cheeburger Cheeburger whenever they would visit. It became a small tradition that we would share. When I would go, I would get the kid’s meal just so I’d receive a car. I am pretty sure I had collected all of the different types of cars that they had made. Even once I got over the car collection, I would still go with my grandpa frequently, where we would have long conversations and enjoy each other’s company. Unfortunately, my grandpa passed away from cancer in 2018. Seeing this photo helps me remember our tradition and the good memories we would share together. 

The Kitchen Floor:
I never moved houses when I was growing up, so I was able to call one place home. The kitchen in our home has been renovated twice since this photo was taken. I can barely even remember the kitchen since it was most recently renovated, and I only really remember the older kitchen when I see photos. Seeing the floor like this brings back memories from playing around in the kitchen as my mom yells at us and simultaneously cooks dinner. 

Who: My brother and I
What: Holding our Pinewood Derby Cars
Where: At home the night after our competition
When: Circa 2006

The Cars:
Ahh, the Pinewood Derby. A time when young boys have their parents do most of the work to build a car for their child to claim as their own. I forgot that we even made this car together until I looked back at this photo. I remember helping my dad construct this car the night before the actual race. I think I get my procrastination from him, definitely not from my mother. We carved out the bottom, and placed some weights in there. My dad said it would make it faster if it was heavier, so I was pretty happy about it. The funny thing is, my car ended up winning while my brother’s ended up coming close to last. I love to remember the euphoria I felt that night as my brother and I are, and always have been, very competitive.

The Point:
These memories only really come back to me when I gaze at old photos. While this might not happen for everyone, old photos tend to trigger the times most people forget. I hope that you will try to do the same as me: look at childhood photos and try to remember the stories behind the photos.

But don’t just reminisce, take new photos. Take photos of anything you find interesting (or not), and then look back at them. You will be surprised how one photo can jog the memory of an entire adventure.