New Avenue of Thoughts re Memories in 2020

On the theme of memories increasingly floating back to me as this pandemic extends, and that I am approaching my 79th birthday new and welcome thoughts occur. And on the theme of this boost in memory of the past being possibly a function of aging, I was reminded that some have always seen memories of the past being a comfort to the old, guiding and being a comfort over the years. I believe that having led the life I did, I’m fortunate most of the memories that occur to me, stimulated by something in my life now or something I read or am told, those memories are usually really endearing.

I’ve been amusing myself by pronouncing random nouns and verbs and even adjectives…I say the word aloud, and see what personal memory connects with it. So far, not one word has not connected me with a personal memory. This intense exploration certainly does put a new light on the loss of an elder’s memory. Can I extrapolate that we are our memories? I think it isn’t far from that. I remember Dad’s loss of who mom was after her death and when his frontal lobe dementia was in full flush. He never forgot his mom but when he saw his late wife’s photo as a young woman he commented that he remembered that girl but she didn’t hang around long. They were married from 1938 –1992.

I want to cherish my memories in this part of my life, and I have collected a mountain of them.

I need not tell my children all of them: I should remember that, but some they would want to know I can share. Without my memories as I experienced with my dad, a huge and absolutely essential part of myself that has been slowly developing over the past 79 years would be gone.

From what I saw with Dad’s life unfolding without essential memories he had always cherished, if these now gathering memories were to be lost, life would be lonely, tremendously lonely. I newly understand and I bow to my memories. They are the newly valued treasure that I have both consciously and unconsciously collected from early childhood to now.

Last updated May 26, 2020