At the age of 5, one of my grandfathers passed away. Being so young, I had a limited set of memories and experiences with him, but even today, I vividly remember them.

 

My grandfather was a special man to me,  my family, and to others around him. He was brilliant, passionate, and kind. I remember very clearly at the age of four he taught me how to play Sim City on his personal computer. This was a life changing moment for me as it sparked my love for technology, learning, teaching, and creating.

 

Fast forward some 20 years and I have cultivated some of the most important relationships of my life through the interests that my grandfather introduced. My love for technology, for the friends I have made gaming, the joy of creating something beautiful, and for the ability to connect with people across the globe, stemmed from my grandfather taking the time to show me something he found fun, interesting, and meaningful.

 

I have a printed portrait of my grandfather from World War II. The print has been around since 1944, almost 80 years. All of the experiences I have gained from knowing my grandfather now live within that one printed photograph of him. Every time I look at it I can remember him holding my hand to help me work the mouse, to show me how to build and create, and his smile as I took my first steps of using computers on my own. 

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This is why I believe that having photographs made, printing them, and sharing them with those you love is one of the most important things we can do. A photograph can become a way to carry the personality, love, and experiences you and your family have had. As a photograph memories can travel and live on forever.

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