Instead of saving moments, we should try savouring them

I was scrolling down my newsfeed on social media the other day, when I saw a picture of a football crowd. The photo was not well-timed, and neither did it have any special effects — an ordinary photo in essence. However, what caught my eye was that the entire crowd, barring few people, were either recording or taking photographs of the match. This struck me, and I kept thinking about it later. Why has capturing moments on camera become such a necessity? Except for professionals, why do we have to click photos of every single thing?

People give excuses, like: “Photos help us create memories”. But then I wonder, what kind of memory is this which hasn’t been “lived” but just “clicked”. To get in the moment and live is what creates a memory.

Instead of saving moments, we should try savouring them. Instead of waiting for a perfect shot, just leave the camera and revel in the moment. Then you’ll have the perfect memory; to be cherished in the coming years.

I’m not saying that photography isn’t good. But to get so involved with clicking photos and forgetting the world is a different matter. What counts, apart from megapixels and lenses, is the many things that make a picturesque moment.

After your seventies these photos won’t matter much if you don’t have memories beyond the clicks. Memories are not created with a camera; they are in etched in your heart.

So the next time you’re out on a trip, remember that “clicked” memories are good, but it’s the moments that you live, breathe and revel in that capture them in their entirety.