15 Then And Now Pictures To Show The Fantastic Difference Time Makes

Taking photos is a great way to capture special moments and people we never want to forget. Looking back on them is a fun way to take a trip down memory lane, but sometimes, reminiscing just isn’t enough.

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From iconic family photos to beloved pets who aren’t so little anymore, one of the best ways to see how far we’ve come is by taking new photos, especially when we get to compare them to the old ones. To see some for yourself, keep scrolling for a list of some of our favorites from across social media.

1. Rumor has it they still find sand in their house to this day.

a photo of a little girl and a little boy posing for a photo while buried in sand up to their neck and a phot of those same two as a adults recreating that photo — Reddit

2. “My sister and me, nearly 8 years later.”

an image of a young man posing with his little sister and their dog outside in colorado in the snow with a mountain in the distance and those same people recreating the same pose in the same location nearly eight years later — imgur

3. “I took the cat off the street. Photos before and after. One month difference.”

before and after of a white cat with piercing eyes one month after she was rescued from the street — Reddit

4. When you try and re-create the best nap you’ve ever had, but it’s just not the same.

a photo of a man sleeping as he sits and holds his sleeping newborn baby boy and a photo of those same people recreating that photo when the baby boy is now an adult man — imgur

5. “On The Ferry to Centre Island, 16 Years Apart.”

a photo of a man and his little girl smiling as they sit by a window on a ferry to centre island and a photo of those same people recreating that photo now that the little girl is an adult — imgur

6. “My dog Cassie and me, 13 years apart.”

a little boy hugging his golden retriever, cassie, and a photo taken 13 years later of the same boy, now an adult, hugging the same dog — imgur

7. This may not be the family photo these parents were hoping for at the time, but it no doubt ended up becoming the most loved.

a family with a dad, mom, two little kids, and a baby trying to take a family photo but the two kids are fighting and crying and a photo taken years later with the same people who are recreating that very photo — Facebook

8. “From the beginning, he’s always been giving me a helping hand. 23 years later, I’ve graduated from college and he’s still there for me when I need him.”

a photo of a man helping his little boy drink from the water fountain while his son stands on the fountain and those same people recreating that photo when the son is now an adult — imgur

9. “How it started vs how its going.”

a photo of a tiny black and white kitten snuggling next to an equally tiny orange kitten and a photo of those kitten years later, now adults, cuddling with their arms around each other — Reddit

10. “23 years later, and a lot less hair… our family photo re-creation!”

a family photo with a dad, mom, and seven kids and a photo of that same family recreating that same photo years later when all of the kids are adults — Reddit

11. “My wife and her cat 13 years later.”

a photo of a little girl smiling as she holds her kitten and a photo of that same girl years later, now an adult, recreating that photo with the same cat — imgur

12. “Thought I’d surprise mum a little for Christmas!”

four children posing for a photo with santa in 1999 and those same four children, now older, recreating that photo in 2013 — Reddit

13. “My brothers and I decided to recreate our mother’s favorite photo of us for Mother’s Day – 20 years apart.”

three little brothers posing for a photo and those same brothers, now adults, recreating that same photo — Reddit

14. “It’s almost a year to the day since my friend brought home a kitten from a rescue centre, so she decided to recreate the first picture she took of him.”

closeup of a small black kitten being held in the air

a woman holding up a giant black cat that's almost the same size as her — Twitter

15. He is the definition of an icon.

collage of photos of a little kid in a photoshoot where the photos include a whole body shot with a closeup of himself as the background as well as recreations of those photos now that the child is an adult — imgur

It’s so fun to see how much (or how little) has change over the years through photographs. Some are silly, while others capture sentimental moments, but they all have one important thing in common: They’re a great reminder that even the simplest moments end up becoming our most cherished memories.

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