On my way home yesterday my phone was lost at Melbourne International Airport. At first I was mad at myself for letting it happen, then I worried about all my contacts and the fact its also my work phone. Then, in a heartbeat that thudded like a tonne of concrete in my chest - I realized the true loss - all my photos and videos of my little boy are on that phone. Soundbites of his first words, his first happy babbles in his bassinet, videos of him as a newborn, the first time he rolled over, crawled, stood up, ate food etc etc. All gone. While my photos back up on iCloud - for some reason my videos and sound bites dont back up at all. They are gone. Forever. My precious memories of my sons first 10 months development lost in a moment of inattention. This sudden awful realization meant I cried my eyes out amongst several hundred people as we made our way through customs. I didnt care who saw me, as tears streamed downs my cheeks and I grieved for those memories that I treasured and had suddenly lost. I felt sick. As a photographer I should have known better. I shouldve backed it all up more. I was so harshly reminded that it is the frozen moments of our memories, those pictures of our loved ones, those magical links of love that connect us to the past and to our families and our friends that matter most to us when we lose them. Its not the phone, or the material possessions - but the emotions and memories we hold dear that count. Its a hard lesson to take but one that I hope you can learn from me and never experience yourself. It also reminded me why I am a photographer. Of the real value of portraits and moments of love, captured, treasured, loved forever. Those memories are priceless and those moments will never happen again. This morning I received an email from Melbourne Airport lost and found - the absolute relief that they have my phone is huge - fingers crossed I may have my precious videos back soon - and you know what - Ill be backing them up immediately!!!
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 18:05:27 +0000
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