Let’s Capture the Moment
Do cameras really capture the moment?
I recently had a great day. To be honest, I have been having good days quite often recently, which makes me realise that I am healing. I was my suppressed self for a very long time and have finally started to feel alive, refreshed, and free once again. There was a time when I stopped speaking my mind, became self-conscious, and had to force myself to engage in conversations. Why and how I ended up that way — that’s a story for another time. For now, let me share my recent adventure and a realisation I came across.
So I had to attend a tea party arranged by The Citizen Foundation at the weekend, and just like any other woman, I started thinking about my dress, shoes, and accessories days before the actual event. I was excited to meet my favorite girls. When the day arrived, I woke up early, got ready, and headed out to the venue. It was a typical cold December day in Lahore; the weather was lovely, a blend of sunlight and fog. I looked around and felt the cool breeze caressing my hair and refreshing my thoughts. I reached the venue on time with high hopes and hyped energy. We met a lot of new people and heard some amazing life stories, unique perspectives, and interesting goals. Everyone present there was happy, accommodating, respectful, and whatnot. They all had one objective: to contribute as much as they could and to be a part of a positive change.
Those three hours were amazing. I was able to absorb everything around me. It felt like a magical place, even though there was nothing out of the ordinary if we talk about material things, but the genuineness of the souls made the place something special. The energy, intentions, vibes, and connections made it a wholesome experience.
After the formal gathering, we got to enjoy yummy biryani, hot gulab jamun, and tea. It was a perfect blend, which tasted even better because of the company we had. Exactly when I thought the day was about to end and there were no more surprises, someone mentioned the SWINGS. OMG! How could we miss the swings?
I have always loved swings. When you go up in the air, you can see the world around you from a different angle. The sky seems to be a little close, and the ground feels a little far from reach. While going back and forth, you enjoy the wind and the view simultaneously. While having fun at the swing, we talked about a lot of things, some of which didn’t even make sense. 😛 We talked about our careers, future goals, places we want to work, finding remote jobs, happy and sad stories of our haircuts, how we want to look when we grow old, and whatnot. One of us shared that she wants to have salt and pepper hair after she turns forty, while two of us promised to enjoy the swing even in our 60s and made plans to live alone with a lot of cats. There was no connection between the things we discussed, but, still, everything made sense. All of us were happy at the moment.
Finally, we decided to leave the venue, and on our way home, we enjoyed some more chit-chat. There wasn’t a single moment I felt bored or out of place in that company, and it was such a blessing. Ending the day on a happy note, we all reached our homes, and just like everyone else these days, the first thing I did after reaching home was to ask for the pictures, and within a few minutes our group chat was filled with pictures and videos.
While going through the pictures, I noticed we had captured almost everything during the day and still could not capture the moment. There were pictures of food, interiors, scenic views, us having fun at swings, and group photos, but still, something was amiss. We did not look as good and happy in the pictures as we did in person. The pictures and videos did not capture our genuine smiles and outbursts of laughter, our fun chats, or our stupid blunders. All of that is stored only in our minds and hearts. Even while writing this down, I am not looking at the pictures or videos I have. I am reliving the moments in my mind because that wholesome experience cannot be captured or reflected through pictures.
Now that I think of it, I rarely open pictures to relive the happy moments. Most of the time, we look at the pictures to find photos for social media platforms, referring to outfits and looks, and occasionally to show someone the scenic views we captured. However, to relive the moments, we don’t need pictures and videos; rather, most of our precious moments are only stored in our minds and hearts instead of our smartphones. Do you guys also feel the same?
My question is whether this “capture the moment” phrase is justified. Are pictures really capable of capturing the moment? Can you really relive the moment while looking at the pictures? How many of you go back and see the pictures you have captured? I would love to know what you guys think about it.
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