A dose of something good.

I often wonder what life would be like without Instagram ! Why specifically Instagram, you might ask ! Not that I love it or loathe it. Maybe because I’ve always been fascinated with photographs or maybe because I realize I’ve now forgotten how it feels like to have a great printed photograph. I’m genuinely curious ! I mean, what would it be like to wake up one morning and realize there was no Instagram ?!

Oh my god ! I would of course blink my eyes twice, rub them again just to make sure its not the morning haze, and pinch myself over and over again ! And then scream out aloud followed by a slurry of expletives. I’m by no means melodramatic, but WTH what would we do without Instagram !

I mean how could I just let go of all the ‘drool-a-licious’ images by the food bloggers, the ‘oh-so-perfect-pout’ pictures of Huda Kattan (yes ! I love her), oh and wait a minute, what about all the Insta stories I secretly watch, the updates by my pretty college senior who has thankfully not blocked her account, the ex-boyfriend whom I have conveniently blocked, those lovey-dovey images by ‘that nasty friend in college’ ! How can I let go of all this constant source of entertainment all at once and still pretend to be okay and sane ! This is no joke !! And what about me ? Where would I post all my ‘picture-perfect moments’?! A life without likes, shares and comments. Well, never mind the reposts, I never really got there !

Fifteen years ago, not in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined getting this emotional and distressed over losing out on someone who is not a part of my family, is not even remotely related to my friend’s circle, haven’t even been around in times of distress, is never under my beck and call, has a mind of its own, and does not know a thing about what it feels like to keep things ‘close to one’s heart’ and feels happy to be ‘out in the open’ and ‘screaming attention’ most of the time. Kudos to the ones who have gone private! (How boring!)

Don’t get me wrong here ! I’m by no means an Instagram hater neither am I averse to technology. I’m just astonished how effortlessly ‘Instagram’ and all such similar online mobile photo-sharing, video-sharing, and social networking services have turned around our lives so much. Agreed, all it takes now is a simple swipe and click to ‘capture moments’ and then save it onto  a ‘memory stick’ and be able to share it instantly with your family, friends, extended family and whoever else you would like to share it with! Click.Add filter.Post.And of course, Save it for later ! That’s how simple and instant the process has become.

But, what if luck fails to be the guide and you end up with a memory stick that has ‘memory issues’ and lose out on all the saved images (read ‘precious moments’)! Even worse, what if your smartphone isn’t so smart and loses out on all the saved up data ? As they say, beggars can’t be choosers! Chances are this has happened to 1 out of 10 people who is being kind enough to read through my thoughts. Yes, this just happened to me and hence, this emotional outburst of sorts.

All I was left with is a totally incompetent technology product with which I could neither have a sensible conversation nor offer a session of ranting that could generate some sense of guilt over being so irresponsible !

But, the loss is mine. I’m reminded of all those times I went home and pulled out our stack of albums hidden in the closet. It felt so wonderful. Just the feel of it. I would pull them out slowly, one after the other and slide my fingers through the huge golden-coloured ring binders, lift the rather heavy hardcover eager to take a trip down the memory lane.

Hidden beneath the layers of butter paper would be photographs that would bring along with it a gush of emotions ! And before I know, my sister would come hurriedly to give me company, my mum would follow suit and so would my father ! I’d love how I get to be in the centre and everyone would cuddle up around me to see what’s in store. Slowly, as we flip through each page, the silence in the room will be interrupted with long bouts of laughter, deep sighs and whispers and needless to mention, recounting and narrating the actual incidents.

I have lost the count of times we’ve all plopped down on the couch to see our photo albums, but with every passing year it’s a different feeling. Sometimes you feel lucky, sometimes you feel sad, detached, longing for those good-old times and at times you feel you’ve grown out of that phase. Yet, there’s a strange sense of belonging.

I remember, during my last day at school I fought with my friend over who’d get to keep a copy of our photograph that we clicked during our send-off party ! We had no choice back then. However, today we have almost endless options. I wonder if that has that made us more flippant.

We’re constantly sharing photo albums via Picasa or WhatsApp or creating an album on Facebook and of course creating Instagram stories. No wonder they say, technology and comfort go hand in hand. I wonder how many of us have made an effort to get our photographs printed in the recent past and tried to gift our loved ones a photo album. This might not sound like a life changing decision or the most significant thing to do right now. But, sometimes there is nothing like going back to where it all started from ! As a wise man once said, “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” Couldn’t agree more !

Here I am, talking about something as simple and nearly defunct as a photo album to each one of you. Who would have thought it would make such a swift and silent exit ! With technology taking over our lives so effortlessly, we may or may not choose to go back to our good old ways. However, I’m glad how it still pushes us to constantly remind us of how beautiful life was before it all happened..