Eighteen year’s ago today, my dad was laid to rest after succumbing to a series of major health battles. My mom recently moved to a senior residence. As we discovered old photos in the family house, it made me think about how things have changed in the nearly two decades that have since passed — roughly one generation. While most people focus on the technology that has made smartphones and tablets commonplace throughout the world, many often overlook one of the key features of these devices. Cameras are almost always readily available. In the film era, pictures had to be developed and printed. In 2018, we take over one trillion photos per year. Many people post these photos via social media, without thought of preserving them in the years ahead. But the moments of today are the memories of tomorrow. It could be anything from family get-togethers to historical events or something in between.
Here is a silly thought. If a picture is worth a thousand words and we take one trillion photos, does that mean we should be thinking about one quadrillion words to describe these photos? Perhaps not that many, but when you think about it, the motto in US currency is E Pluribus Unum, roughly “Out of many, one.” Maybe that is the message. Our individual stories, both photos and words, are the foundation for the melting pot that is the United States. If my grandparents hadn’t come through Ellis Island by the 1920s I wouldn’t be writing this as they undoubtedly would have been exterminated by the Nazis. My maternal grandfather loved to write, even though he didn’t have much formal education. Preserving memories is so important on so many levels. It also helps us to remember, an important goal in and of itself. It helps us to grow as individuals, as families, as communities, even as a nation and globally.
Here is a silly thought. If a picture is worth a thousand words and we take one trillion photos, does that mean we should be thinking about one quadrillion words to describe these photos? Perhaps not that many, but when you think about it, the motto in US currency is E Pluribus Unum, roughly “Out of many, one.” Maybe that is the message. Our individual stories, both photos and words, are the foundation for the melting pot that is the United States. If my grandparents hadn’t come through Ellis Island by the 1920s I wouldn’t be writing this as they undoubtedly would have been exterminated by the Nazis. My maternal grandfather loved to write, even though he didn’t have much formal education. Preserving memories is so important on so many levels. It also helps us to remember, an important goal in and of itself. It helps us to grow as individuals, as families, as communities, even as a nation and globally.