Letting Go

[chuasam]

I was sorting through my really old archives of photos. Saw photos of people I've long fallen out with...often in a bad way.

Should you (would you) delete these photos so that you will never remember clearly those who should be forgotten or do you keep the images for old time's sake?

 

[Jeff15]

Just put them all in a special folder marked with a skull and crossbones.....

 

[Original katomi]

My method is if an image does not invoke a memory then I bin it. In your case it sounds like they still bring back memories. I have photos that make me sad, but they still have memories attached so they stay.
I would go with the idea from Jeff15.
Save them and mark toxic

 

[chuasam]

My method is if an image does not invoke a memory then I bin it. In your case it sounds like they still bring back memories. I have photos that make me sad, but they still have memories attached so they stay.
I would go with the idea from Jeff15.
Save them and mark toxic

sad i can deal with. Angry and Pissed off and Bitter...not so much

 

[SquarePeg]

I would keep them. Feelings change, friends and lovers reconcile or at least move past the pain.

 

[ac12]

Depends.
There are some that are so toxic that I would delete them.

The issue here is while the person has bad memories related to them. The environment may have better memories.​

Others iffy, so put them into a folder that you can review later, if at all.
As SP said, feelings sometimes do change over time.

 

[Zen1300]

If the stir up bad memories then I suggest moving them to another media and storing them out of your main library. Put them on a USB stick and place in a box clearly marked. Put that box in the closet. Set a retention period (1yr, 5yr?) and if nothing changes you can toss them. If feelings or the situation change you can bring them back into your main library.

While there may be toxic relationships that will never return to a better situation there may ones that find their way back. It sucks to have someone in that situation say, “remember when we did that trip, let’s look at the photos.”