There are memories that suddenly mock our souls and invite us to smile with complicity, in a brazen way, but above all therapeutic, because in times of difficulty there is nothing like turning the key to our memory and getting involved, little by little, by essence. of yesterday’s happiness and then regain strength in the present.
They often say that memory contains wonderful moments that no photograph could ever capture, because no electronic medium evokes the aromas, a shudder of pleasure in the skin, the taste of a kiss or the cool breeze of a sunrise.
- After wonderful moments.
- Unforgettable memories remain.
- Those that make us laugh.
- That mock our souls and show us that everything that was once in the mind still lives in the heart.
One thing to remember about memories and memory is that, far from what many may believe, they are not in a safe, it is not a space of infinite capacity where we throw away data, images and experiences that faithfully correspond to reality to store them. locked up. Memory, in fact, is like a canvas capable of creating, bringing new nuances, transforming and even erasing.
For William James, famous philosopher, psychologist and brother, in addition to Henry James, memory and consciousness are like a key and its lock. Let’s take an example: when listening to a song, memory travels immediately to the past. A time machine is not required. It’s an involuntary memory, one more memory that happens almost without realizing it throughout the day.
We are suspended for a few seconds in this haze of memory, at that moment it may look positive or negative, until in the second, consciousness calls us and “drags us” to bring us back to the lock of reality. This momentary, punctual and intense journey, far from being a total and useless disconnection, is in turn integrated into one’s own consciousness.
Do people spend much of their lives remembering things, talking about their past?And we do it because, as neuroscience explains, memory is that eternal traveler who invites us to his vast island to evaluate the past, so that we can act in the present. and plan our future. All this is established in consciousness, in this?fleuri, chaotic and unique that characterizes each of us in a unique way.
“Positive experiences create happy memories. ” It is something that we all know, it is obvious and, moreover, it is also obvious that it is not always in our hands to provide happy, joyful or pleasant experiences, sometimes luck is not in our favor, there are disappointments, changes of direction in our ways, traumatic episodes and even gray days.
“Remembering is easy for those who have memories, forgetting is difficult for those who have hearts.
-Gabriel García Márquez-
One topic we were talking about at the beginning and now recovering is that memory is not always a faithful reflection of the facts, the same reality lived by two people can be memorized differently, because we interpret what we see in one way or another, and this is where the magic and mystery of human memory resides. The brain is not a camera, nor a photocopier, the brain is an excellent interpreter.
However, this fact is a fabulous weapon that is in our favor. Let’s see why.
We can all be the architects of our reality and use memory and emotions to advance our vital paths with more balance and strength. To do this, consider these strategies.
Thus, in times of darkness, instead of being transported to the past by the hand of the memory padlock, it is better to “build the present”, connect with it here and now to consider that sometimes it is enough to change a thought. to create a new emotion capable of improving reality itself. Sometimes the engine of change only needs that spark of life: a positive and hopeful emotion.