Sometimes It's Good to Go Back

I've heard people say, "if only I could go back and do that over..." but I try to live without regrets. In fact, historically I've always looked forward to the future and what it holds instead of dwelling on all the has-beens in the past.

I couldn't WAIT to get out of high school and into college. After a couple years of that, I couldn't wait to get out of college and into the real world...but what I realized (after some maturity) was that I was looking so forward to what could/might come that I wasn't really living in the moment to enjoy it for what it was. Not that I regret that – that was then and, as I'm so fond of saying, "it is what it is."

Older, more mature and possibly a tad wiser, these days I'm still excited and curious about what the future holds, but I'm also living in – and enjoying – the "now." AND I can still look back on the ago and think all the things I've done, seen and experienced have made me who I am today.

While we might not be able to physically go back in time – or leap ahead into the future, for that matter – we CAN reflect back on what's happened. Not to worry about regrets or wish we could do it over, but just to enjoy it for what it was and perhaps even re-remember some other things.

For me, photography has always been my favorite way to preserve memories – I'm not great with remembering details, as many of my old friends can attest :) – and every once in a while I like to go back and re-live the snapshots I've taken the past year.

This morning while doing just that I came across a shot I took on a whim last year. I'd forgotten all about it – it was tucked away in a folder from the summer months – and realized I'd never so much as edited it.

It was after a day of horse showing in Aitkin, Minnesota and we were driving home trying to beat the threatening storm clouds. As I came around a turn in the road I saw this vista: a field of sunflowers set against a backdrop of ominous, slate-blue clouds.

I pulled over, grabbed my camera, zipped across the road and started shooting. The lighting was less than ideal but it was beautiful anyway. I'm so glad I decided to take a stroll through my (recent) past and re-remember this lovely scene.

I look forward to driving past this field again next summer – we'll most likely be attending the same horse show this year – and see what this field of sunflowers has in store for me! After all, I have a new camera now and could even take the time to try out some different lenses...

But, I won't spend any more time thinking about that. After all, it's several months away and I have the here and now to live :)