Isn’t it interesting
How we often already have our phones
Ready for action
All the time?
How in doing that action
We can obtain something that lasts forever –
Digitally?
Taking that quick picture
Does quite the opposite of what you think.
It takes you out of the moment,
Because you know you can always look back on it.
Imagine what the world would be like
If every picture was precious. If every time
We wanted to have a physical embodiment of a memory
We had to prepare our camera
Make sure our fingers were out of the way
And click the button. No more
Instant comfort in seeing
Whether your hair is perfect
Or not.
You want to see how it turns out?
Finish off the film
and get it developed.
It’s a waiting game,
And only when the joy has passed
Are you able
to revisit it.
This summer I had the opportunity to use a disposable camera. My parents asked me, “You have a phone, why do you want a disposable camera?” I responded that I just thought it was cool.
Throughout the seemingly short summer days, I captured little moments of joy. Seeing a drive-in movie, going to the beach, hanging out with friends. I rushed to fill up all the pictures in the camera, anxious to see how they turned out.
I waited an agonizing two weeks to get the photos back. During those two weeks, it occurred to me how much humans seek instant gratification. Why do we love smartphones so much? Because the world is at our fingertips. We can access pretty much anything we want whenever, and we take it for granted.
What do you take for granted? What’s something you think you couldn’t do without getting instantly – grades? Photos? Answers? It’s a challenge to look for things like that and smell the roses in life, as they like to say.
The disposable camera represents our approach to life. Do we take our time and create strong, lasting memories? Or do we rush through it and regret the rush we ensued? Sometimes you think you’ve done it all right, but then you find out your eyes are red in the picture.
What then?
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Photo Credit: favim.com
