When I think about my life, I see certain snapshots, little glimpses or single-frame photos of different events.

They are like a Rolodex in my mind that I can call up at any moment. That event, frozen in time but there for the recall at any given whim. I have a library of theses snapshots.

Some fall into a comedy category that bring brand new giggles to me as I relive them. Some are dramatic or sad minutes from my past. Some scenes are so accurate in content that they can stir exact memories. If it is a painful moment from my past, just viewing that snapshot in my mind can bring on the exact tears that I shed in the past.

Some scenes are so joyous that just viewing it takes my mind to that happy moment. My reaction to reviewing that scene is the same exact emotion. It is not that I see the photo and think, "Oh, I must have been really happy then." It is more like, I see the photo and I immediately remember and relive how I felt and what I was thinking.

I consider myself very blessed to have this library of feelings. It is a huge library, open at all hours. Those moments that I have already lived are not gone. They are there just waiting to be recalled and enjoyed again. I enjoy thinking about how special this really is.

My life is so full. The moments and the memories I am living today are just new additions to my growing library of life.

My photos take no shelf space and use no film. It is a private library for my use only. It contains everything I have ever known. These photos are a big part of my life. They remind me of where I came from and keep me grateful. They teach me to be thankful for the life I have been given.

I love living in the present but I truly enjoy celebrating and remembering my past.

Life goes so fast. These snapshots in my mind help me to appreciate each day that I live.

Gail Earl is a member of the writing class offered through the Cerritos College Adult Education Program. It is held off-campus at the Norwalk Senior Center.