Memories, whether they be years of good, bad or both, are always there. They forever remain in the mind and the heart. Some are better than others. Many you would prefer to forget. However, those are the ones which help you grow and move forward in life.
Good Memories Last a Lifetime
We’re going through a difficult time now. I sit everyday and ponder the life I have lived and can recall in my 62 years. I can go back to about 5 years old, safely remembering certain events which took place growing up. When we speak of memories, they can be personal or news worthy items that may have left an impression on our lives. I will forever have many good ones, especially in my early years through college.
Growing up in my home, was not always easy to say the least. I firmly believe that every home is a dysfunctional one to a degree. The Cleavers with Beaver, don’t exist in real life. My good memories come with degrees of melancholy, since my immediate family is no longer alive. I see my dad sitting at the piano or playing the violin, just because. I inherited some talent, but growing up with a father working two jobs just to make ends meet, squashed those dreams. My mother was the typical stay at home mom in the early sixties. She belonged to clubs, participated in school activities, and political elections.
One memory I have of her was when John Kennedy was running for president. On election day, since schools were closed, I accompanied my mom to the polling place, watching her hand out flyers. It was a very cold November day, but I can recall it as if it were yesterday. It’s funny what you remember. The fun trips to Gettysburg, the baseball game with your dad and brother. So many good ones.
Going years forward, you now have those memories you acquire as an adult. Graduating college, getting that first real good job, marriage, and having children. The latter two, they will never cease to be part of your life, no matter where the future leads you. The best thing I ever did in my life, were my children. I would give my life for them, to keep them here on earth, longer than me any day. My memories of them growing up to be the wonderful adults that they are now, give me solace that they will be fine in life, no matter what obstacles come along. Both have already experienced some loss and difficult experiences, but those will make them better and stronger moving forward.
Marriage is a funny thing sometimes. My first was a sham. The second, being many years of ups and downs. The good memories will prevail, along with the others. This is where the argument began about throwing away good memories. To that I say bull crap! I don’t care where you go, when you go, or who you go with, those old memories stay in your heart forever. Cold people can erase things, or so they think.
Life is built on memories. The great debate I guess would be, isn’t there room in the hearts and minds for others to be made?
New Memories to Be Made
It’s just human nature to want to make memories which last a life time. We want them to be good, positive ones, which will enhance our experiences later. Those new ones may come about differently than the earlier ones. They may involve a new environment, different surroundings, or even new people.
Old memories get put into that little bank we all have inside our brains and mostly in our hearts. We occasionally pull them out to comfort us or remind us of a past we’d rather soon forget. The new memories will never replace those of the past. They were special then, and shall stay so, particularly the good ones.
New memories are normal. They come from new experiences in life. Traveling down different roads isn’t a bad thing. Creating memories comes from all sources, different people. We don’t know what the ending will be in our life. It’s like that great novel, where the author can’t decide how to leave the characters lives in the ending. Memories, all kinds, never get tossed from our minds, and more specifically from our hearts! Don’t EVER let anyone tell you differently! No matter which life you choose to live!