A blast from the past

Photos have enormous power in the memories that they invoke. While they can be the source of wonderful memories, they can also keep us tuned into past time. Old photographs can put us more in relationship with what we are lacking as opposed to what we now have, and can limit our abilities to obtain what we desire in new ways.

Pictures of family members, friends, and lovers are particularly important to keep up-to-date. Parents with outdated pictures of their children on display might find their children fighting to assert their independence from their parents' out-of-date perceptions of who they are. Wedded couples with no pictures since their wedding and honeymoon may find that the relationship isn't as fresh and exciting as it once was. How can it be? The wedding day was the starting point for all kinds of expectations that may not have been realized.

This does not mean that one should not have any old pictures on display. However, having them balanced with up-to-date pictures shows a storyline that enables you to see the development of your relationships. The display in the picture above demonstrates how an arrangement of family pictures can show the history and evolution of the family in a larger framework.

If you have several older pictures that you like, rotate them. Choose one older one to go with some more recent ones, and change it in a month. The change will be welcomed by your nervous system, as you will recognize the difference from the previous arrangement with greater awareness and appreciation for what the photo represents.

Allow your photos to help you access memories in a way that adds to your present-time awareness; otherwise, they will be two-dimensional reminders of a past that no longer exists.