Looking at Old Photo Albums?

[Tomasso]

What emotions do you feel when you look at them?

For me it just makes me feel depressed and I rarely do it, but I couldn't resist tonight. Nothing deflates my mood more than seeing my smiling childhood photos with friends. Looking at those photos you'd never have guessed what a failure that kid would become.

It depresses me more because my parents have always told me I was the friendliest kid when they took me to the playground. My parents told me how I laughed so loud those days on the playground that they could hear me in space.

Most of all, it also makes me sad to see that I used to be happy. It seems so far away but there was a point in my life where I was proud of myself and had friends.

How do you react to your old photos?

 

[MikeyC]

I never really need to look at old photos, to be honest, but if I did I might have similar feelings to you.

 

[Roman Legion]

The last time we had anything that could have been considered a photo album was when we left Ireland.. No idea where those pictures are now, I think we lost them when we left (fled) Maryland.. Nobody takes or collects pictures in my family.

 

[Feeling_Nothing]

I hate it, I found some old pictures on an old hard drive last week and it almost made me cry, pictures from better times they were. Hate to look at them and realize how happy I was back then compared to now.

 

[LittleKitty]

We lost so many of our old photos. Though, I do enjoy looking at the ones we do have. I cant help but smile and feel great, I was such a happy kid. Its only when I stop looking at them that I wonder "what happened?" I wouldn't say I'm unhappy now, but I feel as if I lost something along the way. Then I start to wonder, maybe I just grew up. ::

Its like eating sour candy.

 

[MikeyC]

I wouldn't say I'm unhappy now, but I feel as if I lost something along the way. Then I start to wonder, maybe I just grew up. ::

That's possibly what it is, too. People grow up and you are much less carefree. When you grow up and develop a lot of sadness, it can be depressing to look at old pictures and wonder why you got so sad, though.

 

[nightcrawler]

I've never been into photos. I don't take them, and I don't have any photo albums. I don't even use the camera on my phone, and I don't have any photos of my close family. The only time I see old photos of myself is if I'm over my parents and they have some out. If I had a girlfriend I would probably be tempted to have some of her, but that's not likely to happen ::

 

[Rembrandt Broam]

I quite like looking back at photos from childhood and my teens. It reminds me of times that were more carefree and happy.

 

[Gaucho]

normally i don't do, the other day after years i did. it was terrible, i would of liked to stab myself. i couldn't of dropped deeper in life, back then then i was exactly the opposite thn I'm now.

 

[WeirdyMcGee]

There are no photo albums of me. haha
Only my brother and sister and parents-- which is fine, I guess.
I enjoy imagining other people's happy memories rather than sorting through the many blocked out years in search of a happy event.

...that sounds rather depressing...
XD Either way-- I like photos. I like children. Photos of people I know who were once children are always adorable and fun to look through.

 

[mikebird]

This triggers a lot of emotion and tears, as well as listening to favourite music, deeply remembering what happened in a lot of different places, making me sad of dead people I can't speak to any more, and a lot of girlfriends, and how I must have done something wrong to cause them want to leave.

Even big paper pics before digital, with me in them. I seemed to smile there; the usual 'normal people' formality of saying cheese

 

[chibiXphantom]

every time i look back at old photos i think of how much ive changed and how much ive screwed up in life. all i can think is that im such a big disappointment. had so much potential but ive burned so many bridges... used to have friends, be a girly girl 'popular' kid when i was younger but turned into the freak. i feel like ive let everyone down. turned so many people away. i always end up crying when i look back at them that i rarely do.

 

[megalon]

My family doesn't really take photos. Aside from one with me and my brother when we were babies, there's no photos of me taken before the age of 22 that I'm aware of. That's fine though, I don't really have better times to look back on.

 

[twiggle]

Yep, old photos which conjure great old memories can be sad to look back on. I wish I could rewind back to 2.5 years ago so damn much. Happiest days ever. But before I did the things that made me particularly happy back then, I often felt the same, 'I wish I could go back to __________ time'
We don't know what the future holds. Memories, and the past, are the one thing we can always be certain of. It often seems much more 'safe' to bask in past enjoyments by looking at old photos and listening to favourite old songs.
But the future has potential too. Good times can come again.

 

[The Lost]

Most pics I have are from the 80s-90s when I was a baby/kid. Since then, aside from those pointless annual school photos, any pics have been digitals, that magically deleted themselves. I don't like looking at past pics aside from the reminder I looked younger once. I enjoy being shown other people's albums though.

 

[EscapeArtist]

Yes it's very sad, because it does not feel like me even. It makes me wonder how I've lost myself, and if I'm able to get that back. I find that looking back on old photos is only beneficial if I'm in a state where I need to grieve and release. Out of boredom is the worst. Otherwise it's only harmful

 

[MNM322]

I enjoy it but it rarely hits me that its actually "me" I just feel I am looking at other people's photos. It doesn't feel like my life

 

[Hellhound]

I destroyed all of my old photos long ago. I don't want any reminders of what my "family" tried to force on me. They were painful to look at.

 

[dottie]

i think as kids most of us had unrealistic, false expectations instilled and that is the root of disappointment... when adulthood slaps you in the face.

You Are Not Special Commencement Speech from Wellesley High School - YouTube

 

[GhastlyCC]

What emotions do you feel when you look at them?

For me it just makes me feel depressed and I rarely do it, but I couldn't resist tonight. Nothing deflates my mood more than seeing my smiling childhood photos with friends. Looking at those photos you'd never have guessed what a failure that kid would become.

It depresses me more because my parents have always told me I was the friendliest kid when they took me to the playground. My parents told me how I laughed so loud those days on the playground that they could hear me in space.

Most of all, it also makes me sad to see that I used to be happy. It seems so far away but there was a point in my life where I was proud of myself and had friends.

How do you react to your old photos?

It's exactly the same for me. ::