Deep and reverent as always.
I believe there is a great deal to be learned by looking backward in time and have long thought that the answers to the present and future often lay in the past
This reminded me of something I was thinking about the other day. Our memories and dreams aren't that different. I had a memory resurface of my dad elbowing me in the nose. When I was 8 years old I stood directly behind him as he was crank starting a minibike.
I completely forgot about that incident until well over 30 years later. All I remembered about the day was riding that minibike up and down our dirt road.
Someone else could have only remembered getting elbowed in the face by his dad. Maybe they would have been traumatized by it. I think we can tap into a power when we look into your past and choose to focus only on the memories that make us stronger, happier and more grateful.
A human memory is an a powerful thing, there is no doubt and a person can turn to advantage and disadvantage depending on perspective, attitude and mindset. Your minibike story is one such thing.
Remembering good things can drive us towards more of it and the same with the bad things. I think the memory is there to be used to our advantage though, not just to recall a few good memories. A child getting burned by a stove will remember not to touch it next time...A man who tucks into hot pizza and gets burned by molten cheese will remember not to do it next time. Ok, that last one isn't a good example because I've been burned by molten pizza cheese more than one. Lol.
I'm so happy to have my memory, I don't forget much, but that comes with challenges also, I'm sure you understand. Sadly, my father had dementia and lost much of his memories, or they became so garbled that they might have well been lost. It was sad to watch and he became someone I didn't really know...He didn't know who I was either. But...I have a lot of memories of him, like you and your elbow-incident, and that's what counts.
Well said.