I could probably sit and go through my old scrapbooks and old pictures for hours upon hours. True, getting too caught up in the past isn’t such a great thing, but there is some joy to re-living memories. I think that is why I have so much fun posting throwbacks on Instagram. Hey, if I’m willing to push it and break the unwritten rules of IG, I post a flashback on Friday.
Here’s a little gem my grandma found and sent me ^^ Just me and my dad. He’s one of my biggest fans, business and life advisors, and my best soccer coach (sorry for all the chaos I caused on and off the field 😉 )
Back in 2006 (just the start of sophomore year! yikes!) and biking through Mammoth Lakes. I was trying to be a cool kid and wanted a skater helmet, not a biking helmet.
When we were cast off for a week in Mexico. Just kidding. We took a week to study Spanish and live with a host family. While we weren’t exactly fluent upon our return, we definitely grew in other ways.
What I also love about reliving memories is that it reminds you of the good and bad times. Sure, social media and pictures enable us to portray our lives in a certain manner, but it’s not always sunshine and daisies. Even when you are completely annoyed, you will probably (99% of the time) still be smiling for that camera. There is rarely a time we would purposely reveal the worst parts of ourselves or the worst pictures. (except before the creation of digital cameras and you were stuck with those pictures)
^^ Because memories like this happen. Let’s just say I was being a complete teenager and annoyed. Thanks to whoever snapped this gem.
So reliving these memories gives you and opportunity to think about how you were feeling – maybe happy, maybe sad – but in the end, it probably ended up being a good time, right? Feel where I’m going with this?
But what’s fun about throwbacks is that there is so much more than just personal memories. How about the social and fashion trends of the past? Oh just you wait…
Remember when … jelly sandals were a big thing? For some reason, I find myself searching for them when I walk through DSW. Who knows, maybe like (almost) every other fashion trend, they’ll make another entrance.
Remember when … We thought that graduating elementary school was a HUGE deal and that our lives and friendships would forever be changed? Ok, it was and they did but to think of what is going on in my life now and the world now in comparison. Wow.
Remember when … The best part of high school dances was … … … hmmmm. You fill in the blank on this one. I loved getting dressed up (and still do!) but the stress of hoping to be asked or ask in a creative manner, yeah 1st world problems indeed.
Remember when … There wasn’t such a thing as eating paleo or whole 30 or cross fit? I didn’t even think about body image until I was in middle school. Of course middle school through college were just joyous/continual discussions about it. My theory now? Eat good, feel good (thanks to Catherine and many other’s ideas) and work out for you and your health, not to fit some media expectation of “normal”. There is no such thing as normal.
Remember when … We didn’t have iPhones or iPods or a constant stream of emails in our inbox? People walked the streets without their noses buried deep in their handheld devices, there wasn’t the dread of arriving at the office with hundreds of unread emails, and you didn’t have to jump to respond to every single beep, buze, text, email, and alert. Alas, it’s the benefit and cost of evolving technology.
Remember when … Beanie Babies or Gelly Roll pens/mechanical pencil collections or coloring inside the lines were the big conversations on campus? Maybe just my elementary school campus, but still. Arguments occurred over these things.
Just to leave you with one more 🙂
“Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.” ― L.M. Montgomery
California Endless Summer 
