RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY
Monday Dec. 18, 2017
Have you done this?
Let’s walk down memory lane.
Mine usually starts out as a stroll but it tends to pick up speed.
This exercise is entirely mental, no physical work required, yet it can be exhausting.
There is a tendency, for me at least, to wander away following fork after fork in road after road like some truckers’ long emergency runaway lane.
Memories don’t line up sequentially for review along curving pavement on a banked turn, sun reflecting off fresh asphalt – they are located randomly in location, in time-frame, in magnitude. They show up when they show up. Much like new experiences and new people – they show up when we might least expect them. Their impression is nothing we could foresee or design – nor would we want to know in advance. Not because of the surprise factor, but simply for the ‘being surprised moment’. The longer we live we get fewer excitement moments, ah+ha moments, moments of joy and moments of fulfillment. We shouldn’t let them pass by – at any age or stage of life.
Why take memory walks? Doesn’t it expose us to ever hurt, every painful crash, every disappointment stored in our massive brains? Yes, but none of those experiences destroyed us, did they? While we slalom stroll disaster pylons, re-witness the joys, the toys, all the girls and boys who made our times more fun just be being there. Lessons learned displayed, easy viewing without technology. Close your eyes a moment, take this journey, not to be sad but to be glad you stand here today, atop all that history and mystery, wiser and better prepared for tomorrow.
