The pictures on my wall depict stories. 

I adore my collage of photos on my turquoise-blue walls. They are brimming with memories of some of the best times of my life with the people I love, each holding a story. 

The pictures where my friends are assembled around me, the pictures of my family of four on our Caribbean vacations, and plenty of pictures of my adorable, fluffy, white dog. They are all special to me because they capture a moment in time in which I want to remember. 

Although life is often a series of ups and downs, the pictures on my wall serve as a reminder to embrace the good times that I’m given. 

Sometimes simply smiling, sometimes with a multitude of silly faces, and other times formally posed, the pictures earn their place on my wall. But some of the best ones are candid shots; nothing is forced or purposeful, yet the photographer knew exactly what they were doing when they chose to capture that specific moment. 

Photos are the best way for me to relive those significant moments. Events like 16th birthdays, freshman band camp, and trips to Aruba only happen once in your life, after all. 

Though I replace the pictures taped to my wall every once in a while, I still love going back into my immense box of photos to see how much time has changed us all.

The pictures before March included more people than the ones taken during this past summer, but that does not mean that fewer photographs were taken. Sometimes it’s not about the people–it’s about the places. 

The pictures littering my wall are not just of human figures, but of sunsets, rainy days, and snow. All of the scenes give me joy just looking at their beauty. 

Though the camera never seems to be able to capture the true beauty of a landscape, such as the snow, the recollection is still there. 

Sometimes there’s a truly perfect moment of me with the people I’m close to, in a place I cherish, doing something I love. Those kinds of photos get placed front and center. 

I can’t even tell you how many photos on my camera roll are blurry—or just straight-up odd—but I can’t bring myself to delete them. Though they aren’t perfect, I still think of them as times in life that I’ll never get back. 

I try to embrace photo opportunities because, once the moment is over, there will never be one the exact same ever again. You can always delete a picture later, but you can’t redo the experience, so it’s probably smart to take the picture that may seem minimal. 

The vibrant pictures scattered on my wall are unique junctures. I love them because of that just as much as I love them for the people, the places, and the irreplaceable memories.