The Photo Album Behind My Eyes

Sunday was an incredible day on the trail.  Snow had fallen and the trail was a glistening, powder sugar covered wonderland.  In fact, towards the end of my 15 mile run, I plopped down and made a snow angel overlooking the reservoir.   A perfect snow angel on the edge of the trail providing trail magic to whomever might next traverse the path.  I promise this is true, although I don't have a single picture to prove it.  And while I would like to say that doesn't bother me, it kind of does.  Because I had my phone, and I did indeed take pictures.  But it is a new phone, and somehow, while uploading the pics onto the computer, they disappeared.  No digital record of my run, no evidence of my playfulness or heirloom of hours spent dancing in the woods.  Why, why does that matter???  I did it - I was there!  I was lucky enough to see the snow covered hills, the "dippin dots" phenomenon that made the snow look like tiny little balls of Styrofoam.   I slipped on the frozen puddles, and felt the cold down my neck and back as I laid down and flapped my arms and legs to make an angel.  I smelled the icy dampness, caught my foot on covert roots and rocks hidden by snow, and slid once, twice, three times on steep inclines.  But somehow, without the camera documentation, it seems somehow unworthy to post.  I don't like that.  I don't like that without pictures, my run doesn't seem as important - like it was wasted.  Like I need a do-over (with pictures) to make it official.  I often look judgmentally on my kids as they view their world through their phones.  The don't look at things, they take pictures of them.  And that makes me sad.  More so because I am realizing that I am doing it too.  So, while I know I will still take pictures, I think my resolution this year will be to "see" the world using my eyes more, and my camera less.  I feel certain that thinking back and remembering my snowy run will give me a better picture than any phone can provide.