Should I keep or throw away pictures of me and my ex girlfriend?

[xxgreen20]

My ex girlfriend and I broke up in September after 4 months of dating. She was a few years older than me and left me for a guy her age. She had lost her feelings for me a month before she dumped me, but dragged out the relationship another month before finally pulling the trigger. I blocked her on all social media (Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat) and deleted her number off my phone, as well as deleting all of our pictures besides the prom off of Facebook and Instagram. I had around 20 printed pictures of us in my dorm room at college, but I gave them to my parents to take home with them when we broke up so that I didn't have any reminders of her. I insisted that my parents throw the pictures in the trash because of how bad the ending was, but they said, "You should always have pictures of your past, because they will be positive memories to look at someday." My dad still has the pictures in his apartment, and I came across the envelope they were in today, and I brought it up to him, and he said that it is always advisable to keep pictures of your past relationships no matter how bad the ending was. My mom agreed with him. I am over my ex and have been for a couple of months now, but I felt like I should make a decision whether to throw all the pictures in the trash or just keep them. I feel like I shouldn't have pictures of a girl that left me for another guy, but I sort of understand where my parents are coming from. As far as I know, my dad doesn't still have pictures of an ex girlfriend of his that cheated on him, so I do feel like those pictures should be thrown out, but yet, my wife one day could want to see them out of curiosity. Anyways, what are your opinions on this? And please don't say that I still love her, because I don't. In fact, until I came across the envelope today, I completely forget I still had the pictures.

[niji]

"Letters are just pieces of paper, I said. Burn them, and what stays in your heart will stay; keep them, and what vanishes will vanish" - Murakami

 

If you're still debating whether to throw them out or not, I'd say you're not completely over the relationship (and that's ok).

 

I still have a picture of me and my ex together on my computer. I looked good in it. I would have deleted it if I didn't look good. So keep the ones you'd like to keep and look back one day to say, "Wow, that was a fine young man!"

[Altair0770]

I'd agree you aren't over it.

 

If it were me I'd get rid of them. Then again, I already did lol.

[xxgreen20]

I'd agree you aren't over it.

 

If it were me I'd get rid of them. Then again, I already did lol.

 

Nope, I resent that. I'm over it, for God's sake!! ALL I WANT TO KNOW IS WHETHER TO JUST GET RID OF THE PICTURES THAT I FORGOT ABOUT UNTIL I SAW YESTERDAY. FOR THE SAKE OF ANOTHER GIRLFRIEND!

[Hoosfoos]

Put them away somewhere, deep out of sight, where they can sit undisturbed for a very long time. Keep them there, and one day, when the pain is less than it is right now, you might be able to look at them again.

 

This is what I did with mementos from my last relationship. I don't really have the motivation to dig them up and pine away.

[preraph]

You could just scan them in online somewhere like Photobucket, and only keep your favorite one or two, but get them out of the house and off your phone where they'll only remind you.

[Poutrew]

What I've done with old gf pics is to load them into Photoshop and overlay a dogs face onto the girlfriends face. You could also, depending on your mood, use a badger's face, a elephant's face. or even a horse's rump This way, you can still look at them if you want to and have a smile on your face afterwards... you can even have some sweet revenge by posting the modified pictures onto your face book page, just don't identify the gf...

[Miss Spider]

Toss them.

[d0nnivain]

The relationship was only 4 months so tossing them is OK.

 

 

What I usually do though is put the pictures away for at least 1 year. Then look at them again to see how you feel about them. If the picture was taken at an event that you still have fond memories of keep them for the sake of the event not the girl. Otherwise toss them.

 

 

I'm thinking of pictures of EX's I still have. One in a dorm room because I love the outfit I was wearing & it's one of the few pictures I have of that dorm room. (I'm way older than you so pictures involved film not digital) I have a pictures of EXs from trips we took because I liked the locations -- Bahamas & Mexico.

Do you see where I'm going with the criteria to keep or toss?

[airborne3502]

My ex girlfriend was beautiful, and I really like some of the pics she sent me of herself, and pics I took of her.

 

One of them I was going to frame and put on my desk.

 

I'm keeping them - on a flash in a drawer where they belong.

[jamili]

These days I keep old pics from any serious relationships ive had on an external HD in a folder. They are there if i ever want to see them again for some reason, or if the exes ever come into my life again in the future. But, i have to dig in the HD to find them, so they are out of sight out of mind otherwise. It works for me. I dont like destroying old photos if i dont have to.

[stillafool]

Nope, I resent that. I'm over it, for God's sake!! ALL I WANT TO KNOW IS WHETHER TO JUST GET RID OF THE PICTURES THAT I FORGOT ABOUT UNTIL I SAW YESTERDAY. FOR THE SAKE OF ANOTHER GIRLFRIEND!

 

Yes burn them and be happy!

[central]

What if you'd taken a trip to see the pyramids in Egypt, and the end of the trip included a bad experience. Would you throw away all photos of the trip?

 

 

This is the same thing, IMO. You had an interesting experience, it's part of your life for good or bad, and should be remembered. Now, if you'd throw away those vacation photos because all you want to recall is a slowly fading impression, then sure, throw away her photos.

[fromheart]

I actually agree with your parents. I regret deleting the old emails between me and one of my exes as there were such good memories there. One day, you'll remember the good and not focus on the bad so much, even though you've long since moved on.

[thompkevin]

I think it's better to just throw the pictures away. There is no reason to remind yourself of her. Even if you think you have moved on and you don't love her completely, you will find yourself vulnerable one day and if you end up seeing the pictures, you might start missing her and obsessing over her.