I recently went through the pictures on my phone and looked back on some moments from the past few months. In the collection of memories, I stumbled upon a photograph of my family and I walking along a trail (pictured below) just before we went into lockdown for COVID-19. Although I can’t remember or even imagine the world that existed when that photo was taken, the small glimpse into the past from it really struck me. The world has changed so much since then, but it still feels like we’re standing still sometimes. I always thought of the present as something that is constant but after looking back at where we were, I’ve realized that it’s always changing. We’ve discussed the fast pace of NYC together and, in a way, New York is an embodiment of what the present is. It’s constantly moving, and we work to keep up with it because its forward momentum gives us hope for the future. As difficult and hopeless as this time seems, looking back at the photo and the pace of New York helped me see how the present is always fleeting and a better future may be in sight if we work towards it.
One thought on “Memories and the Present”
WOW! Hey Kristen first of all I really loved the picture of your family along the trail, the notion of us standing still but yet still changing was so powerful. Everything you mentioned about the future and being in the present is what really spoke to me. We all never could have predicted the possibilities of what COVD-19 will do to our lives. I remember when my last day of school, it was me and all my friends in our class was hearing the announcement and we were all like “see you next week “, “finally we are off”, and “Lets gooooo.” Little did we know it was the end of an era, the end of it all, and like that senior was over. Trips were cancelled, sports gone, social distancing, wearing masks, lives being lost, and much much more. The future is unknown and everything is constantly changing and moving.