Today is Memorial Day so what better time than this to talk about memories. The dictionary defines memory as recalling facts or past experiences. But when it comes to special events and celebrations, I see our memories as the path to connection and joy. Each thought, each remembrance is like a flagstone along a path that we walk. Every time we sit and think about a past event, every time we reminisce with someone or when we start sharing stories, we are walking down that flagstone path made up of our memories.
Over our lifetime there are so many special moments that we can’t simply remember them all on their own. We need a little nudge or a prompt to help bring them back to the front of our mind; and that’s when holidays come in handy.
I find that holidays provide a wonderful opportunity to unpack our memories and to look over each one. Whether you remember doing the same thing in the past, think of the person who gave you that ornament, or remember the trip you were on when you found that decoration, the events and traditions of the holidays help us to find touch points that bring those memories to the forefront; where we can share them with others and enjoy the experiences all over again.
There are many ways to do this, traditions, hobbies and gifts, even decorations being just a few.
Traditions help us remember past events and experiences. As we repeat the actions we’ve taken before it brings up memories of years gone by. This gives us the chance to re-live our experiences, tell stories, and share our memories with others.
The same is true for our decorations.
Holidays give us an opportunity to repeat actions we’ve taken in the past, to follow our traditions. As we walk a familiar road, doing the same things we’ve done before, those simple acts will trigger memories of past events.
