The other day, a friend asked me where I’ve been. “You haven’t been blogging.” No, I haven’t, but I’ve been thinking about it.

The other day I was reading the obituaries—yes, I’ve started to read this overlooked section of the newspaper—and I noticed that majority of the photos that were published beside obituaries were taken decades before the actual passing of the deceased. I don’t know if the family chooses these photos or if it’s the choice of the funeral director, but I’m guessing these individuals looked nothing like their photos and it upset me more than it should.

There was a picture of a woman in her twenties skiing on top of a mountain—a good fifty years had passed since the photo was taking and here was a summary of this woman’s life Beside this copy was an image of the woman in the first quarter of her life—what about what happened when she skied down that mountain? What about the friends she toasted during the meal later that night? How did she look when she saw her daughter for the first time? What expression did she wear when her husband retired and took her for a ride on the back of his motorcycle?

Maybe it’s human to focus on the times that we were full of hope. It’s sad to think that might only occur when we are young. Maybe we are at our best when everything stands before us rather than behind us. Or maybe that’s just the face we’re willing to share.