Memories are a funny thing, you never get to choose which ones you remember in vivid detail or which ones pass by without a trace. But a piece of modern technology has made it so even vague memories can be remembered in detail. The technology is the camera. With it we have been able to capture photos and videos of our entire lives, and I think this has gone even further with the introduction of social media. Now we don’t just get to see the memories of our lives, we can share them with the entire world. That is why I have looked back at some memories of me through the eyes of a social media platform called Instagram.

Post 1: My Birth

It was 1:24 AM on October 1, 2000. I had just been born. I weighed 9.4 pounds and seem pretty normal. Taking me home my parents could tell I was going to be a smart baby. In the months that follow I learned to talk, climb, and walk a lot faster than other kids. I was also very curious and would find anything I could grab with my little hands in the whole house. This was sometimes a good thing, sometimes a bad thing, but as you can see I survived.

(podcast coming)

Post 2: My First Instrument

I had played a few instruments before the tuba, but they were all mandatory. The music teacher at Cove Cliff would make us play the xylophone, recorder, and ukulele constantly. But that all changed and grade four. My music teacher gave us a presentation saying that next year you’ll have the opportunity to join band. The part that most excited kids at this presentation was the fact that we got to try out the instruments to see which one we liked. I wandered around for a bit looking at some of the instruments I could try, but then one caught my eye. It was this big horn made of brass that I found out was called the tuba. It looks fun so I really wanted to try playing it. I stood in line for the whole presentation just to try out this tuba, and I was the last one to do so. The guy handed it to me and I realized it was bigger than me, that didn’t stop me. I blew into the tuba as loud as I could and the guy gave me the complement of saying “man, you have the lungs of a tuba player.” After that it was a no-brainer.

Post 3: Hawaii

Going to Hawaii has become such a tradition that I feel like it’s a part of me. I have gone to many of the different islands over the years, but the main one I always find myself drawn to is Kauai. I was four the first time I stepped foot on Kauai. I loved the the natural beauty, the water, and the atmosphere of the world there. One day when we were going around the island my parents noticed a for sale sign at one of the resorts. With some budgeting by my parents and smart salesmanship by the resort, we got it. Ever since that that place is become a second home for me. And Kauai truly holds a deep place in my heart.

Post 4: Scuba Diving

I’ve always been drawn to water. As you may have seen in the video of me as a baby, water makes me happy. So it almost seems like an inevitability that I would turn to scuba diving. I started off with a safer water sports, you know like surfing, snorkelling, and kayaking, but I always liked it under the water. My first introduction to scuba diving discovered was in a pool in Kauai where kids could try out swimming in gear at the shallow end. I loved it so much that I continue to do it again and again. Then once I got old enough I moved on to diving with a dive master in a safe spot called Koloa Landing. We only went to 40 feet, but it was still riveting. I continued with that for a few years, then got my full license in Vancouver. My parents wanted me to get my licence here because cold water diving is harder than tropical driving. So their logic was if I could do it here I can do it anywhere. I passed with 100% and went on to explore the oceans. I’m still exploring today.