Oh, my friends. I had a bit of an epiphany a few years ago, as I was turning 42, or maybe it was 43. I was looking for a photo I remembered taking with friends on the day that we first met in person. When I found the picture, all I saw was my youth. I laughed and then sighed.
I remember the first time I saw that picture. At the time, I thought I looked awkward and fat, and everything else I had disliked about my appearance at the time in my life.
Guess what? I looked fine. I looked like myself, but younger, and maybe there were fewer laugh lines on my face.
And that was when it finally clicked. If I lose weight or gain weight, if I wear makeup or don't, this is my life, and I want to remember it and continue to make memories with my family.
At this point in my life, I'm choosing not to dodge the camera anymore. I refuse to buy into the lie that we all need to constantly aim for some level of perfection.
When I look back at photos taken with family and friends, I want to be part of them - more than just the photographer. So, next time someone points a camera at you, smile or don't, but consider allowing them to take the photo.
And in all seriousness, embrace the selfie. If I hadn't caved and started taking photos with family and friends a while back, I wouldn't have nearly so many fun pictures with my adorable nieces.
I have far fewer photos of myself with my kids, taken during the first ten or so years of parenting, than I have of us together over the past ten years. And I'm grateful to have an abundance of photos with family and friends now, too.
After an afternoon spent pulling these photos off my phone, I realized that there are still a few close friends and some family members, too, with whom I don't have any photos.
I'm making a mental list and plan to change that the next chance I get. As I've grown older, I've learned to treasure these visual memories more than ever. So, please, take all the photos.
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