Musings on Memories

 Memory is unreliable. 

What I remember and how I remember it is a product of perception, emotions, and imagination. No matter how well I think I remember something, it is likely to have only a very slight overlap with reality.

Does it matter?

Reality is overrated.

I suppose we all live in a world of illusions.

I grew up with an illusion of living in the greatest country in the world. I had a very happy childhood – loving parents, family, friends, books, toys, berry-picking, picnics, going to the seashore... Were things as happy and wonderful as I remember? [Easy answer: not all the time.] But what does it matter – as long as I can reach back and grab hold of those unreliable memories and use them to make today better.

I remember, as a child, getting settled in new places (when on vacation, or because we just moved). I remember a sense of excitement – because there is so much to look forward to. So much to explore. So much to discover. New people to meet. 

My parents were amazing at making life feel like an adventure. I can only hope I can do the same for our kids, so that when they look back at their childhood, they will remember the sense of adventure, the excitement of being somewhere new, the every-day happiness because, surely, today is great but tomorrow may be even better.