People who have photos, but faint memories.

The more obsessed you become with capturing photogenic pictures, the less time you may have to savor the moment itself.

You are on a trip, and your food is brought to the table.

Steam is rising from it.
It smells good, too.
The person in front of you also looks a little happy.

However, before eating, you first reach for your smartphone.

You change the angle.
You check the brightness.
You move in a little closer.
You make sure there is nothing unnecessary in the background.

In the meantime, the temperature of the food drops a little.
The flow of conversation also pauses for a moment.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with taking photos.

Travel records are fun.
Looking back at them later can sometimes bring back the mood of that time.
I also understand the desire to keep a record of time spent with loved ones.

However, lately, I often see scenes where people are so focused on preserving the moment that savoring it takes a backseat.

The moment you see a beautiful view, you look for a composition before feeling moved.
Before listening to the sound of the ocean, you start recording a video.
Before talking with family or friends, you check to see if you got a good shot.

And then, you return from your trip.

You have plenty of photos.
There are many beautiful shots left in your smartphone.

But, what kind of wind was blowing at that time?
What did the person next to you say that made you laugh?
How did you feel when you took the first bite?

Sometimes those things have become a bit vague.

A photo is not the memory itself.

It is the gateway to a memory.

What truly remains is not just the scenery on the screen.

Your own sensations while you were there.
The other person's voice.
The time spent waiting.
The small events that didn't go as planned.
The moments you laughed unexpectedly.

Those things layer together to become the memory of a trip.

When you become desperate to take a picture that looks good, the trip becomes "material" rather than an "experience."

This is a little sad.

You have photos left to show others, but the time that remains within you becomes thin.

Truly rich people look properly before they take a picture.

When the food arrives, they first smell the aroma. In front of a view, they are silent for a moment. They look at the expression of the person they are with before taking out their smartphone.

Just having those few seconds changes the meaning of the photo.

You don't take photos to preserve them, but rather preserve a little after you have savored the moment.

That might be just about right.

People who have photos but thin memories.

I think that is a slightly sad, common occurrence in today's age.

If I'm going to the trouble, I'd rather have a trip I want to remember many times after returning home than a trip that just looks good.

A time you can suddenly recall even without looking at photos.

I think that is what a true memory is.