Memories

Every time I hear the word memory, I think of Barbra Streisand. Can’t help it. Two songs in particular jump out: Memory (I mean…duh, right?) and The Way We Were. I’m embarrassed to admit I get these two songs confused on the regular.  

Anyway, memories. They stitch together the journeys of our lives. They evoke strong emotions. They punctuate moments in time. They calm us, overpower us, excite us.

To get scientific for half a minute, there are a couple types of memories out there like semantic memory, procedural memory, sensory memory, and prospective memory. For this piece, though, we’re going to talk about episodic memory – the creator and builder of who we are as human beings.

Episodic memory revolves around emotions, feelings, sentiments, and details of episodes and events in our lives. For example, how did you feel on a first date? What is your memory of graduating from high school? What about a recent argument? Episodic memory is the one that gives our lives meaning, that help us create a sense of self, that help us learn from our past to better navigate the future. These are the memories that flesh out our human experience and give it texture and flavor.

Like all of us, I have some good memories and some I’d just as soon forget. I was fortunate to grow up in a loving household with truly wonderful parents and siblings. My Mom and Dad were instrumental in setting a solid foundation for us and raised us on a simple ethos (an ethos that can be really challenging to live up to each day) – be kind, be compassionate, and treat people with respect and dignity. I vividly remember my Dad giving the keynote speech at my high school graduation. One line from his speech reads:

• “Support another human being — either through a word, a deed, a gesture, or an all-out speaking campaign — enrich our society on a daily basis.” 

It took me a minute or two (and by minute, I mean years) to fully understand what my Dad was saying – but it’s an indelible memory that has shaped the person I am today.

I also have memories of a rough patch during my life. In a previous post, I talked a little bit about my journey through alcoholism to sobriety. It sucked, but I also have indelible memories of that time in my life that have also shaped who I am today.  

The beauty of our memories? They are ours. They play an essential role in shaping who we are as a person. They are a big part of what helps us connect with others, to create social bonds – even (and sometimes especially) the painful memories.

We will always be creating memories, and once we understand the role memories play in our human journey, we can use them to our advantage – to reflect on our past, to embrace who we are today, and to contemplate our future.  

Until next week.

Cheers,

Andy

(All written content created the old-fashioned way.)