“Nostalgia is a file that removes the rough edges from the good old days.” — Doug Larson
I have no desire to live in the past. Sure, those were good times. But my present too is quite pleasing, and if not given the attention it deserves will be soon part of what was rather than what is.
There is, however, something powerful in nostalgia. To paraphrase American movie producer, screenwriter and director Terrence Malick, it can drown out everything.
Today is Throwback Thursday, popular in social media for sharing vintage photos of one’s self and loved ones. Of all the trends out there this is one of my favourites. It’s not just about the vanity of letting the world see who you are; it’s also a lot of fun looking at the golden oldies posted by others. Like music, photos can link us strongly to the past, recalling places and faces, familiar and fond.
Memories, unfortunately, can be capricious — fickle, fanciful, flighty. Time has a way of changing what we remember. One person’s telling of a story may differ from another’s, one’s own reminiscences changing with embellishments in subsequent narratives.
Photographs, on the other hand, are tangible reminders, helping to piece together the time and tale. Sadly, however, they too can, over time, lost their clarity. Faded, scratched, curled and torn, vintage photos stand as testament that memories change with age.
While we can’t always bring to life mental pictures, today’s technology can help us revive those treasured photos. Here are some terrific tutorials to help you rescue those vintage memories and remove those “rough edges from the good old days”.
