I am a winter lover. However, I hate the rituals of getting out the heavy clothes from their storage. I try to withstand the cold as much as I can till I reach the point of freezing. Overnight, I develop an urgent need to open my closet and get them out. I do and as soon as I open the wardrobe door I find myself smothered with photos falling off the highest shelf. Hundreds of black and white photos drop down on my head. I stand still waiting for the flow to come to an end then I bend down to have a look.

Photos are scattered everywhere around me. Some are upside down and others are to be flipped to be seen properly. Some are black and white while others are colored. Happy faces and sad faces; big smiles and reluctant smiles; young people and old ones; family members and strangers; all popping at me from within the photos. Do you recognize who I am? Can you see me? I wonder if you could! What if we could just delve in and be part of the picture once more!

One photo is for my grandparents when they were young. Another for them attending my parents wedding. This one registers my first step and the other my first day at school. Wow! This is my mother’s graduation. Look at her smile! I laughed at their clothes and haircuts back then in the 6os and 70s let alone the cars. Photos of birthday gatherings and others for summer days on the beach. 

Memories revived in my mind. They were brought to life again. Good old days that will never come back. I remember this sad face I had in this photo for not getting what I wanted. Now after nearly 20 years, I feel that the sad news I got on that very day and made me upset turned out to be not bad at all. If only I had foreseen the future hence, I would have reacted differently! 

This forceful sudden indulgence in the past aroused a question in my mind about today present that was once past time’s future. We live day by day and we are completely clueless about our fate and future. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Definitely, as long as we do not know the bad things that awaits us we can be in peace and lead a stress free life. Moreover, we can be more productive and positive. We can make the utmost out of our present without the threat of fear of the unknown. 

Our mission in life is to proceed on our way and be productive. We do our best and go with the flow. Tomorrow is the unseen of today as today was the unseen of yesterday. What will be will be but the only thing we can do is be ready for all scenarios and accept the good and the bad and make the best out of all.