The Value of Precious Memories
Memories hold immense value for me, perhaps why I ventured into the photo business in the first place. But what happens when those memories are lost or mis-placed? I feel almost embarrassed to share this, but I lost track of my wedding video. Ok, in full disclosure, I have the entire 2-cd series capturing the whole day which amounts to 7 or 8 hours of footage. It’s fantastic, except when I specifically want to watch the 17 minute highlight reel set to music - then it’s not fantastic. And that is precisely what I can’t seem to find.
During our home addition, countless items were shuffled around. My office transformed into my bedroom, and the family room became a hybrid kitchen-living space. Items were packed into boxes with the assurance to myself that they were being packed logically, ensuring I’d remember where to find them.
So, imagine my surprise when, on my 16th wedding anniversary, I eagerly sought out our highlight reel, and couldn’t find it. It wasn’t where I anticipated it to be. Nor was it in any other logical spot. Enlisting my husband’s help in the search, we scoured through all the logical spots we could think of, but it remained elusive.
I know it’s in the house… Somewhere…
Am I upset? Yes… No… I’m not entirely sure.
Thankfully, I still have the 2 cd’s containing the entire day, so theoretically, I could recreate the highlight reel. Well, I could hire someone to recreate it. Understanding, however, that it won’t be the same as the original because I lack it as a reference.
Regardless of my next steps, I have learned a valuable lesson.
Memories are irreplaceable. If we fail to take steps such as digitizing them, creating backups, and storing them securely, they become vulnerable to being lost or reaching a point where they are unviewable.
Let this serve as a lesson to everyone reading this: if something holds significance to you, whether it's old photo albums, a collection of photographs, a cherished video from your children's early years, or your own childhood memories, take action now to preserve them. Don't make the same mistake as me during a house renovation project and risk losing them!
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