As 2020 comes to an end, I spent some time reviewing pictures on my Facebook account from this past year, and had three special realizations in the process:
The first: almost all of the pictures I posted this year were old memory pictures! In previous years, I’ve had plenty of travel opportunities to fill my feed with photo ops, but this year, since we are in the middle of a pandemic, as with most people, I’ve lived a more grounded and slower-paced lifestyle and traveled very little. Lesson learned: life still goes on even when we stay grounded, live quietly and simply.
Above: A typical group picture with friends, pre-2020
As I looked past my own Facebook page and at what other people were posting, I also noticed that most people’s posts were prayers, words of encouragement, family bonding photos, and, like myself, plenty of reposted pictures: the newer photos that I saw from others were either taken at home or local places visited. From this, I learned: our faith in God and our appreciation of our family is strengthened, as they are who we have around us, sticking by our side when disasters strike. I am grateful for the reminder to not take God or my family for granted.
Above: A rare group picture with friends in 2020
It was fun looking back because each photo I reviewed brought back a memory, a story, a feeling. Not all pictures brought back pleasant memories, though. Some photographs don’t reflect reality: there may be pictures showing happy faces that only disguise a story of deep hurt not captured in the photo. Lesson learned: life is not perfect. There will always be problems in relationships. But we need to forgive and learn and move on. But just as we need to move on from problems, memories should also be treated as such: just “memories.” Bad or good, we put them behind us. Cherish the positives, learn from the negatives, and move forward. Life is too short to dwell on the negatives, or to only live in longing for what the good times that have past.
A new year is coming. Let’s invoke the blessing of our creator, grab the new year by the horns, and ride on with the hope of creating future “good” memories, and the faith that (with God and family) we can get through all the “bad!”
Have a blessed and Happy New Year, everyone!
About the Author
A farmer's daughter, Dr. Luviminda Saidro was born and raised in a small barrio in Ifugao, Philippines. She became a physician through scholarships (Government and Missionary Scholarships). After graduation, she served with the Catholic Missionaries as a vicariate physician in Benguet and Ifugao then had a short stint working at Ifugao Provincial Hospital in the Philippines before moving to the USA to join her husband. She hurdled through the tedious US Medical Licensure Examinations and had Residency Training in Family Medicine. She currently works with the California Dept of Corrections. Married to an Episcopalian, she eventually became one herself. Dr. Saidro also finds joy in spending time with her wonderful friends and family, including her one and only son, who is also pursuing a career in nursing.