Eleven years after graduating from high school, I went to my first high school drum line competition. I had an enthusiastic discussion about the movie Drumline with a friend at a party a few weeks before, and she found a local competition for us to go to. Our presence there was unusual I’m sure, being there not to support my school or loved ones, but simply for the enjoyment of this cheerful event. As I watched the kids march and twirl and beat and dance, I felt a tinge of regret. Although I was involved in a number of clubs, it was all for the sake of a “well rounded” college application, and I never quite pushed myself into any activity. Now that I’m years out of school, I realized that the best moments I recall were never thought of as important at the time.
Perhaps due to social media fatigue, I’m no longer tirelessly trying to document my life and my thoughts. Yet when I look back on these old photos, I realize that had I not taken out my camera that day, this memory would not exist. Or perhaps it still would be, tucked away until sparked by some serendipitous trigger. I guess that’s another reason this project exists, to remember while I can.
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