Frozen Memories

In the photographs –
Not just the time freezes
Memories too;
If you look closely at the picture,
You could sense the naked emotions of the people in it;
Perhaps the emotions of the photographer too…
Desperate to capture the moment,
A moment – a happy one or one that need not be lived again,
A moment that can never be revisited,
A moment that was taken ever so lightly - until years later
When you look at the photograph -
You remember the years that have gone by;

Remember the dog that you thought you cannot live without,
A friend that you thought who will always remain in touch with,
Now only beaming at you from the picture you are holding in your hand,
Parents who you took for granted believing they will always be with you,
A child who you assumed would never grow old,
A house that you thought you would always live-in,
A bicycle you believed would take you wherever you want to,
The one eyed teddy bear that you hugged tight every day and kissed good night,
The lop-sided but heartfelt smile you believed you would always have,
Life that you held to be intact, not anymore;

Fixing your gaze on the pictures
You remember all -
With tear filled wrinkled eyes,
You smile the lop sided smile one last time,
Before you put the photographs away – you know
Life moves on, but memories live
Frozen in time yet alive,
Either in albums that is tucked away in a shelf or
As frames on the old wall,
Where they will remain waiting to be looked at –
One more time,
Just one more time –
For a smile through tear filled eyes.