Letter to Me.

"You got so much up ahead

You'll make new friends

You should see your kids and wife

And I'd end by saying have no fear

These are nowhere near

The best years of your life."

If it were possible, and to my knowledge it's not, would you write a letter to yourself confirming that everything will be alright and to chill about the future? 

There are somethings we don't want to know about, but there are many where a little insight might come in quite handy. Sure, we would all love to know the lottery numbers 5 minutes before the balls pop through the tube, which stock is going to do well, assurance that your sick child is going to be fine…and that the Cubs are going to win the World Series. (Sorry, that's something too far into the future it's still in "unknown" territory.)

One of my favorite movies, and it certainly parallels this thinking, is "Back to the Future." Yes, I have seen it countless times, and the first one was far and away the best of the three, however when you walked out of the theater (that's where I first saw it), it really made you think, ponder, consider, "What if we really could go back in time?" What would we do to change the future? I know for me, there is no way I would go back to the forest where when I was a kid a tree limb fell on my head. (I recovered of course, but there sure was a lot of blood.)

But there are so many moments I would not change. The time spent with my family on summer vacations heading to Florida, the friends I have made along the way, the love I have felt for many things, and most of all where I am today. I could not be any more fortunate, and I always know, "Appreciate today, because you never know what tomorrow will bring." I could never have anticipated some of the thrills I have been fortunate to encounter and some of the deep losses I have have had to face. As Prince would state, "Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life." It's true, life is a maze, journey, experience that has so many potential twists and turns, you just never know what's waiting around the corner.

If you have been reading "Snap.Shot." for any length of time, you know I love to take photos. If you have yet to figure it out, well…"I do." Probably the best thing about photography is the opportunity to capture a moment and freeze it in time. For sure there are many moments captured that do not tell a story to everyone who looks at the picture, but if it's you, or a loved one, it's something that can't be given back, returned, or changed. So smile, it's all going to be worth it.

The photo above makes me wince each time I see it. It was taken recently at a local football game and for some reason my trusty Nikon caught it. It reminds me to have a backup plan; I am hopeful this player will be fine and up and running soon. However, during the time he is recuperating, he will need to look forward and plan for the future—with or without football. If he could however, have written a letter to himself just a few minutes before this hit, I am sure he would have changed the outcome. I know most of us would.

Thanks for stopping by.