Just Take the Dang Picture

So I'm going to try and not get all emotional here but this is a subject that has been speaking to me lately.

Have you ever hated getting your picture taken? You may think you look fat, ugly, or just think the photo taking just makes you look goofy. I mean I've been there--a million times over. When someone pulls out a camera I'm all like:

My mom was the same way so maybe I picked it up from her. However, she passed away from cancer in 2009. It's heartbreaking because I don't have very many photos of my mom. Sometimes I just want to look at her face and remember her smile, her laugh, the way she squinted her eyes in the sunlight. I want to remember how the sun made her eyes light up, or how her smile made not only my day, but someone else's. I want to remember her hair and the way it smelled, but memories fade and those pieces of memories--pictures--can help someone when they're feeling the weight of the loss of a loved one.

It wasn't until I had a child of my own that it hit me. I'm not going to let the fear of looking ugly, fat, goofy, or sideways stop me from cheesing for the camera. I want to leave those memories for my loved ones so that they can remember me the way I was--happy. You never really give these things a second thought until it's too late. So when someone now grabs their camera I am all like:

So to my readers who may avoid cameras at all costs, I say you are worthy, you are amazing, you are loved, you are beautiful. Take the dang picture.