The Days are Long, but the Years are Short… Print your Photos!

Me, sometime in the late 80s!

The Days Are Long, But the Years Are Short...

Lately, I’ve been feeling deeply nostalgic, maybe it’s because my kids are getting so big. You know that saying, “The days are long, but the years are short”? It hits harder than ever these days.

Even though I want them to spread their wings and fly, I’m trying to be fully present in every moment we do have together.

I’ve just spent the last 10 days with my teenage son. There were more ups than downs, big belly laughs, unforgettable memories, and unexpected sights I never imagined we’d see together. But of course, there were those frustrating moments, too. He is a teenager, after all! 

After every trip, every summer, every special occasion, I always say the same thing:
“I wish I had more printed pictures.”

And it’s not that I don’t take photos, believe me, I do. Usually with one (or three) cameras in tow! But so many of those images live in the digital world. My daughter and I scroll through them, reminiscing about how much we’ve changed, or not. We laugh, remember, and reflect. Sometimes, even my son cracks a smile, especially at photos from his superhero phase or his Lego and Ninja Turtle days.

All of this has inspired me to start printing more photos of us.

Our walls are filled with art, but now, I want our bookshelves to be filled with photo books.

Here’s a throwback: me, circa late 1980s. I still remember that pink bathing suit. I’ve always loved swimming. I don’t remember the exact day this was taken, but I remember everything else in the image. My grandpa was standing just like that, always ready to help my mom, always smiling. The blue garbage barrel in the garage with no handle. The cracks in the driveway of our old house. Me, just being me.

Photos help us remember. Not just moments, but the stories behind them. Objects that hold meaning. People who shaped us. The way we once felt.

So this summer, I’m printing the photos. I’m making the books.
Because of the memories we’re making?
They deserve to be remembered.

Here’s to finding love and light in your everyday! 

Xx,
Michele