With some recent past writings, for example, I learned:
My friend, Rosie, remembered things I didn't from our days of working in St. Luke's Hospital kitchen: stuffing our uniform pockets with cherries; feasting on the goodies stored in the big walk-in cooler.
My friend, Janet, met her husband of 46 years at the Minnesota State Fair. My friend, Barb, learned that her Dad also fried hamburgers at the Fair, as mine did.
My sister Christine, actually has the original book, The Cloud Shoes, given to us by Tante Rachel. My sister, Joan, doesn't remember the book at all.
The point is, we remember things differently, and we remember details another might not.
With permission, the following passages are from Watercolor Sky, my friend, Lenore's blog. She writes so beautifully. I encourage you to tap into her blog, as well: http://watercolorsky.blogspot.com
It is true that memories unite us when shared with loved ones, but sometimes the facts are mellowed over time and each person remembers different things, because we are different. However, on the pages of our lives, the stories that are written enable us to become the people that we are. Sometimes they are our strength and other times, perhaps, they prevent us from realizing our full potential.
The wonderful thing about remembering incidents in our lives is that usually the bad parts sink into shadows and the happy and good events only grow more memorable with time. How lucky we are to wander down memory lane, every now and then, and know that our journey has taken us on many pathways leading us to the safe haven of the here and now.
Our memories make us who we are, it's true. And I think we forget the bad memories so that we can move on beyond them.But even painful memories contribute to who we are, in either a positive or negative way. We can choose to feel their scars, or we can learn from them. We can forgive.
The older we get, the more we learn to treasure today. This day.
Will we be crippled by the bad memories of our past? Or will we realize we only have today in which to be happy and free?
For me, I choose to concentrate on my best memories, and it is those that I share with you. I hope you enjoy them.
