I once read a blog by another photographer who stated that our photos are our living history. I loved the sound of this as soon as I heard it, but the true meaning behind this thought didn't fully hit me until the day I lost my memory...not just part of my memory. I woke up with no memory, including not knowing who I was.

There was a time in my life where I used to ride horses. I trained in hunter/jumpers, dressage, and even did a little bit of sidesaddle. While it seems like these days were a lifetime ago, it was really just about seven years ago. 

The accident happened on the Thursday before Spring Break (I am also and elementary school teacher). I dropped my son off for school that morning, and I told him I'd pick him up that evening from my parent's house after I finished my riding lesson.
Unfortunately, I never made it home that evening. An accident with a horse I had been riding resulted in a fall and a kick to the head by a hind hoof. This landed me in a trauma unit for a few days.

I came to at the scene of the injury for a brief period of time. I remember the face of the EMT holding my head. I remember him asking me questions which I couldn't answer. None of the questions bothered me until I was asked my name. Not knowing my name was a completely terrifying experience. I didn't know who I was, where I was, when it was...nothing would register.

I was in and out of consciousness throughout the ride to the hospital and part of my time in the ER. I can remember bits and pieces of my memory coming back. The EMT had the name 'Taylor' on his shirt. That was my brother-in-law's last name (mine too, but I didn't remember that part). Another EMT mentioned the name of a person and it clicked...I knew that person, and I could picture him. I started to relax as these small bits and pieces of my memory began to return.

This image was taken the day after the accident.

Most of my recent memory returned within the first 24 hours after the injury. However, I had a hard time matching names to memories. There were so many memories about my life and my family I couldn't remember...my wedding, all of my son's firsts, etc. Facebook became my new best friend. I could look up faces and match them to names of people. Hearing names did nothing for my memory, but seeing pictures was like flipping on a light switch. Sounds, faces, smells, and emotions came flooding back when a picture was matched with a name or event. 

The pictures of my most cherished memories hanging on the walls in my house, the photo books of my son as a baby, the scrapbook of our two trips to Disney when our son was 3 and again when he was 6, and the photos and daily memories that popped up in Facebook were truly my living history. These images brought back the memories I had lost. These images gave me back a part of my life I thought was gone. They also gave me back our loved ones who are no longer here with us on Earth. These pictures, some professionally taken and some cell phone snapshots, gave me back my family, my friends, my vacations, sad memories, happy memories...they gave me back ME!

So go ahead and take those pictures! Take your phone or your camera out! Snap that shot! Book that professional photography session! Annoy your friends and family with "just one more" photo! Trust me, there will come a time when you, your family, and your friends are thankful for those pictures. I honestly am not able to remember the name of the photographer who used the term "living history" as some parts of my memory still have not returned. However, I do thank that person, whoever she may be; and I say this because I do know it was a female photographer. Your pictures are not just for capturing moments now; they are capturing today's memories to make them visual for the rest of time. Your pictures are your visual memories. Take them and cherish them!