Souvenirs

Some people use photos and picture frames to essentially trap past memories that they believe characterize the meaning of their lives. Picture frames preserve the past for the pleasure of people living in the present. They are like fossils of memories. The function of a frame is to bring emphasis to a particular enjoyable moment of life caught on camera. Picture frames help to creatively illustrate the positive moments of life that people think are significant. For example, many grandparents (including my own) will cover their homes with picture frames filled with the smiling faces of their family members and grandchildren. They do this to show other people what is important in their lives. Picture frames also encase special mementos that provide a constant reminder of that specific memory. In my dorm room, I have many picture frames that remind me of special events such as prom, graduation, or just being with my friends and family. They are more than decorations because they provide a bittersweet nostalgia of special people and moments in my life that I treasure. Picture may say a thousand words, but it is the picture frame that highlights them. 

While pictures can show a snapshot of the moment, only someone’s words can truly describe their personal experience in that moment.  Journals are often found in gift shops, with the idea that people will feel inspired to write about their travels or experiences, but they are more than just gift shop trinkets.  A journal has the ability to capture how a person made sense of that moment in time, and preserve it.  A journal can reveal as much as the writer chooses to share.  They can tell exactly how someone was feeling in a particular moment, or how many moments impacted someone’s life. Journals are treasured objects.  Some diaries may only be seen by the eyes of the writer, while those of people who went on to do great things in life are often published for the multitudes.  Both are just as important.  We use a journal to cherish the present as we record it and the past as we read.  They can remind us of lessons we learned or just a beautiful moment in life.  A journal can help someone not only make sense of their own life, but helps others to understand them as well when shared.

A small painted sign is the epitome of a gift shop souvenir, but perhaps for a good reason.  A sign is something that can easily be displayed in a house.  Passing by it can make you smile as you recall all of the fun you had on a vacation with friends or family.  Many have inspirational quotes, or even just silly sayings.  This particular one state’s that “Life’s A Beach.”  Sure, it may sound like something on a cheap T-shirt sold at a beach shop, but the saying does have a point.  Life can be stressful and sometimes we need a reminder to take a breath and just enjoy it.  That is why people go to the beach: to get away from the stress of everyday life and relax.  The sign is a reminder that we can enjoy each day like a vacation on the beach if we try.  The tide may be high at times and we have to make an adjustment to our lounging spot, but that’s the good thing about beaches and about life.  The tide ebbs and flows.  Even though things may be looking down at the moment, they will get better.  The beach isn’t necessarily a safe haven.  One can get sunburnt or get swept out by the tide if they’re not careful.  The hurricanes of life may hit us sometimes, but the sign (even if it’s just a cheap souvenir from a gift shop) reminds us that when we step back we can learn to just enjoy the beauty of it all.