To be..

Oftentimes life is full of surprises. After a summer packed with family time, fun adventures, and beautiful memories with my grandma, moments I’ll never get back I decided to finally develop all the pictures on my phone. I drove to the store to have them printed, because I’m in that in-between era where I still want the comfort of holding real photos in my hands. I wanted them safe and sound, little treasures I could carry with me.

But when I got there, the machines were down. The clerk couldn’t guarantee my pictures would even be saved once the machines were fixed. That’s when it hit me I had already erased the photos from my phone, trusting they were secure. I could’ve been frustrated, even heartbroken. And honestly, part of me was. But then I realized: I had already lived those moments. I had already held the laughter, the hugs, and the beauty of those days in my heart.

As unexpected and frustrating as life can be, I’m learning to be present in the moment. To live intentionally, moment by moment, with gratitude. Pictures are wonderful reminders, but even if one day my memory fades, I know I truly lived. I experienced those gifts of time and love, because I was intentional about being present.