With Father’s Day approaching, I’ve found myself thinking about my dad more than usual.

Over the past several months, I’ve been going through many of his belongings. Tucked inside boxes and albums are photographs from throughout his life. There are pictures of him as a young man, pictures of him in the Army, pictures of him on various job sites, pictures of him with my children, and pictures of adventures he enjoyed through the years.

What I’ve noticed, though, is how few photos there are of the two of us together.

There are some, of course, and I treasure every one of them. But looking back, I wish there were more.

I wish someone had captured us during our boating adventures. I wish there were photos of us laughing at his corny jokes, spending days on the jet skis, or simply sitting around the kitchen table talking about nothing important at all.

I wish there was a photograph from the day he took me driving right after I got my driver’s license. I wish there were pictures from our annual Christmas tree shopping trips when I was growing up. At the time, those moments felt ordinary. We assumed there would always be more of them.

But life has a way of turning ordinary moments into priceless memories.

The photographs I miss most aren’t the posed portraits. They’re the everyday moments that seemed too simple to capture. The conversations, the traditions, the routines, and the quiet time spent together.

As the years pass, some memories naturally begin to fade around the edges. Details become harder to recall. But photographs have a remarkable way of preserving those moments. They don’t forget. They allow us to revisit a smile, a laugh, a familiar expression, or a moment we thought we’d always remember.

Photography isn’t just about creating beautiful images. It’s about preserving pieces of our lives and the people we love. It’s about making sure that years from now, when memories become harder to hold onto, we still have something tangible that brings them back.

This Father’s Day, if you have the opportunity, take the photo. Be in the photo.

Not because everyone is dressed perfectly.

Not because the setting is special.

Not because the lighting is ideal.

Take it because one day, you’ll be grateful you did.

And if you’re anything like me, you may someday find yourself wishing there had been just one more.

-Janice