Pics Or It Didn't Happen

In 1945, Dwight D. Eisenhower saw the Nazi Death Camps for the first time. He testified before Congress and showed German citizens what they allowed to happen under Nazi rule. He insisted everyone in the army take as many pictures as possible of the horrors in front of them.

Eisenhower would later say he insisted because he felt one day people would claim the Holocaust was propaganda. He thought he needed to make sure the world knew of the horrors he witnessed and what people experienced in Europe.

He wasn't wrong. Not even a century after discovering the horrors, there are people out there trying to claim the Holocaust never happened. These pictures are what are shutting people up. A website is still looking for any photographs and would take them if people were interested in donating.

Eisenhower is part of how I got drawn to photography

After hearing that story, I decided I needed to take as many pictures of my life as possible. I'm nothing special as a human. But I do come from a small town where you may never get out if you don't leave after high school. Even if you did, it's hard for people to believe some of the things you do once you're out.

It's amazing how major lessons of human history can be implemented in our personal lives. Eisenhower is the original influencer who makes sure we document everything about ourselves.

In college, I learned the phrase, "Pics or it didn't happen." One part of me is darkly amused at how Eisenhower's campaign evolved over the years. The other part sees how vital photography has become since its invention.

I always took pictures as a small hobby. Even as a kid, before hearing the Eisenhower story, I went around taking pictures of random things in my life. Now, I realize how important it is to keep pictures of the things you do in life.

Not everyone will believe your story

I've yet to meet a person who doesn't have a story people don't believe. There's at least one story that compels people to call bullshit every time you tell it.

For me, it's most of my life. I had an opportunity to travel the world in my twenties, and I didn't hesitate to take it. If it weren't for all the pictures I took, I don't think people would believe I managed to live abroad for six years.

The way I hear people close to me talk, you'd think I was a screw-up. The thought of me messing up on anything is both hilarious and expected.

Ever since I was little, I talked about traveling to China and possibly living there. I knew it wouldn't be easy. I had to learn a new language and get used to different laws. I couldn't walk around like I could do what I wanted because I had an American flag on my back. I heard all of the conspiracy theories and the negative things people said about China. But I wanted to go anyway.

And I'm glad I did. Being abroad gave me a new appreciation for things I took for granted here. Living there gave me the confidence I could've never achieved from moving to the next town over. And it gave me the confidence to travel to other countries too.

While I lived in China, I visited five other countries and always brought back things to share when I went back to the States. I posted way too many pictures on Facebook, and I knew it.

If I didn't have pictures from all of my travels, no one would've ever believed I went. No one would think I could live successfully on my own. They saw it. They begrudgingly accepted it. However, when the chance came for them to visit, they didn't take it.

Years later, I tried selling my pictures, but I failed

Honestly, I don't mind that my pictures didn't sell. To me, they're a story. They're a story of a screw-up who proved the world wrong by leaving the place that drained her. They're the proof that you can do whatever you want. They're proof that fate is bullshit, and you can change it.

Maybe one day, I'll get back into trying to sell some of my travel pictures. Until then, I'll enjoy the memories of a time I traveled. And I'll be working hard to make sure I can do it again.