Memory – II. A Sense of Continuity
Date Posted: May 3rd, 2007
Memory connects the events of one period with those of the next period. It allows us to remember our children, spouses, siblings, and friends from day to day. A person after an accident may suffer from amnesia and need to be reintroduced to everybody in her life. It’s sad to witness such a situation; and it reminds us what a precious possession our memory is.
The example I like to give is that of a vacation. If I went to Europe for a month, and visited many countries and places, what is the most precious thing I bring back with me? My memories. Sure, I can take many pictures and keep a detailed diary. But these are only tools. They help my memory. Personally, I feel that a vacation pays dividends mainly as memories that stay with us for many years.
Take a child of 4 to Disneyland and he will go wild. Ask him at 7 what he remembers, and you will realize that he only has vague recollections of the whole thing. Take that same child at 7 and again he will go wild and remember the trip many years later. If you have the funds and energy to take him at 4, 7, and 10, well, that’s even better!
