The things we leave behind disappear from our lives — but not the world. This week, make one of them your centerpiece.
A few weeks ago on Discover, Ben published a post highlighting a group of bloggers who seek out and photograph “modern ruins” — disused twentieth-century structures that are gradually falling into decay. Physical manifestations of a time we’ve only just left behind, their dilapidation has a strange, otherworldly beauty.

The abandoned central atrium of the defunct Cleveland Aquarium, from Peeling Walls.
The things we leave behind — buildings, people, experiences — rarely disappear altogether. When we look back, we find ruins. Remnants. Echoes. A run-down building; a mannerism you’ve inherited from a person no longer in your life.
This week, create a post about something you’ve left behind. What is your existence like without it? What is its existence like without you? What does revisiting it make you feel? What does the future hold for it? Will you ever look back at it again?
This doesn’t have to be a negative post, or one focused on a painful loss — the photographers in the Discover post look back with curiosity, wonder, and nostalgia, not regret. It can be, if you’d like, but you can just as easily take your inspiration from a bad habit you’re thrilled you’ve left behind, the home you once lived in and remember fondly, or the third-grade teacher who had a huge impact on you but is no longer in your life.
Take a moment to pause and look back, and share what you find.
I love what you wrote. “The things we leave behind — buildings, people, experiences — rarely disappear altogether. When we look back, we find ruins. Remnants. Echoes.” And I love this prompt. (I’m hoping to write, or draw, and basically Feel for this one. Somewhere private if I don’t find the courage to blog, but hopefully…well, anything. Thank you.
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All things we love or hate will disappear one day and the only thing we will take with us is the feeling of love or hate. These are co-passengers in our present life and this is and will be our choice whether to live in love or hate.
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I love this post, this topic, this everything..
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I love this prompt. Thank you! There is an itch to write.
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Very interesting topic. There is so many ways to interpret this topic. I have so many ideas floating about in my mind right now. Hope at least one of them comes live through my post this week.
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The Past, a beautiful reminder of the thing that they were. It might be good, might be bad, but is in oblivion. We try to infer some good things from it and try to learn few lessons which helps us make living much better. Really loved this topic
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This poem I published today answers this prompt: https://gospelisosceles.wordpress.com/2016/07/19/omnipresent/
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FUN!!! Hear are my reflections! https://britestfyrefly.wordpress.com/2016/07/19/what-i-left-behind/
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This post is a perfect example for me – http://wp.me/p7Gjr0-6
but I’m a girl so feel free to switch it up in your head and I’m happy I left it behind, or in this case him behind because my life has honestly never seemed more important than it is now
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Travel: Things You Lose. Things You Find. Things You Pack. Things You Leave Behind.
“Travel is a worthwhile adventure — an invaluable expedition. Things experienced can leave one speechless, yet transform them into a Walt Disney-like storyteller once they return home….” Visit my post to keep reading; https://uncustomaryhousewife.com/2016/06/29/travel-things-you-lose-things-you-find-things-you-pack-things-you-leave-behind/
Much Love, Uncustomary Housewife (UncustomaryHousewife.com)
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I see you’ve been to China. Extraordinary people.
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Excellent idea for a topic.
https://attaleuntold.wordpress.com/2016/07/19/daily-post-photo-challenge-the-things-we-leave-behind/
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I should also like to one day tour a former factory farm with the same sentiments.
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I think parenthood is about learning to leave behind all the baggage we bring to our little ones. For me, today’s inspiration was a call from nature to leave behind fear: https://unlearningblog.com/2016/07/19/to-climb-a-mountain/
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We left our names behind:
https://insellos.wordpress.com/2016/07/20/discover-challenge-the-things-we-leave-behind/
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As an expat I really love this idea… there’s a post in the making 😉
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Takes me back to those days!
https://myblog20162016.wordpress.com/2016/07/20/a-trait-that-i-left-behind-for-good/
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This is a really cool idea! For a start, photographing anything that has fallen into a state of disrepair (and doing it well), seems to produce some of the most visually arresting images, which always seem to force me to linger. Doing that with modern/contemporary structures makes it more fascinating, because it’s only recently that building or item has ceased to be of value to whoever was using it. Really cool idea!
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For the Weekly Discover Challenge: The Things We Leave Behind…
the things we leave behind
are the literal interpretations
of
footshadows in the gravel of time
at:
https://marichulambino.com/2016/07/20/wpdiscover-wordpressdotcom-postaday-wordpressdigest-discoverchallenge-the-things-we-leave-behind-nowplaying/
(with free streaming music)
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Great post with an interesting viewpoint. I always look back at all the things I’ve done and places I come from and how it affects me today now you’ve gave me something really think about.
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“….a mannerism you’ve inherited from a person no longer in your life.” I constantly notice these things about myself, and think about who I picked ‘that’ up from. So true!
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totally in sync. see the pics and read the story you will know what i am talking about.
https://wretchedelation.wordpress.com/2016/07/08/the-pieces-we-leave-behind/
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http://www.diaryoffantasticdiscoveries.com/2016/07/21/the-things-that-we-lost-that-day/
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I visited an abandoned theme park/fair ground in Berlin.. Very creepy, and left me feeling quite sad – couldn’t tell you why!
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Perhaps you should write about it 🙂
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Very nice challenge and brought back good memories:)
https://mukhamani.wordpress.com/2016/07/22/the-daily-post-discover-challenge-the-things-that-we-leave-behind/
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I really liked this post.
http://wp.me/p5qoKA-1wf
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I’m new to pingbacks and am not sure if I did it correctly.
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Which of your posts is in response to this challenge?
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It was 5 reasons I left my job
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Really like this prompt! So many potential ideas are running through my head. Love how we can go in various directions.
Also, I guess if the item or abstract subject we choose still exists in our memory, it wasn’t completely left behind. We’re still preserving a certain piece of it, which is so beautiful and important in its own way.
Can’t wait to start writing!
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I love this writing prompt! I have been struggling with what to write about on my blog, and I am very happy I stumbled upon this. Here is my response: https://blogofafutureeducator.wordpress.com/2016/07/25/discover-challenge-the-things-we-leave-behind/
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