Welcome to “How to Live in the Moment”.
“Your future self is watching you through memories.” – Aubrey de Grey
Have you ever looked back on a chapter in your life, wanting to be flooded with memories, but only a few seem to surface?
How to Live in the Moment: Remembering Memories
When a saturated thought swirls in my head for some time, the moment it solidifies in real life is very exciting; I live for eureka moments. Seeing the movie Inside Out for the first time was exactly that. There is a scene in Inside Out when some of the workers in Riley’s brain were discarding all of the memory balls that turned gray, kind of like memory cops, I was like, “No way, this has to be exactly how my memories have been leaving my brain without permission.” At first, I was frustrated at the reminder that all the things I’d learned wouldn’t stick around in my brain simply because they liked the vibes.
At the time, I was an undiagnosed ADHD teenager who was currently struggling in APUSH and felt entitled to hold on to the things in my head because I went through the effort to learn them; crazy concept, right? There can be many obstacles in the effort of retaining memories, whether those memories be in the form of facts and figures for an exam or times you spent with a friend, especially considering the chaos of an ADHD brain. Thankfully, as a closeted softie, I figured out a special way to remember the moments that make up our lives.
Remembering the Past
Last summer, the summer of 2023, was one of my favorites. I was in one place pretty much for the whole summer. This hadn’t happened for a couple of years, and I never felt more free. I made some amazing memories, met some cool people, and did a lot of fun things. I also went on loads of adventures alone. When my summer was coming to an end, I started to get a bit emotional. Partly because I wanted it to last longer, but also because I didn’t want to forget some of the amazing times and hobbies I had.
Sometimes, little moments are a treasure only cherished in the realm of a moment. The future simply exists in a world without them. I was once heartbroken at the thought of losing any of my little memories to the plane of time. While journaling and reflecting on my summer, I had a eureka moment. I realized how to hold on to memories without the memory police coming to take them away. I realized that remembering the past through people and places, one at a time, is how I can remember a chapter.
Let’s take summer, for example. Trying to remember more than two months in just a couple of thoughts is overwhelming and not at all comprehensive. However, thinking of one person or friend group at a time and the moments you shared can come together as one collection in your summer memories. You’ll also find that your brain will resurface so many more hidden memories when its focus is narrowed. In turn, that focus blossoms into a whole story.
Memories of You
What about the memories you have with yourself? I think of my solo memories through places, music, and activities. Certain places where I used to skateboard, drive, or run and all the times spent there. That one song I would play with the roof down driving home from a sunset surf and how free I would feel. The book I read, all the places I read it in, and the way it made me think. Pick something from the chapter you want to remember, and let the good times re-roll over you.
Remembering life through the memories I have with people and things is something I’m so grateful to have discovered. I used to do my best to document all parts of my life through journaling and pictures. I’ve now surrendered to setting my past self free to live in the era she’s meant to be in. In the present moment, I appreciate the memories that do stay with me.
Your Book of Life
My book of life contains 22 years of memories. If I want to read my book, I’ll reflect on one chapter at a time and put it together through the nouns that made it the chapter that it was. Some memory butterflies never hatch as they stay in the cocoon of the moment forever. The ones that do spread their wings do so for a reason. What a gift it is to relive their presence in a new place in life.
In conclusion, if you want to see Inside Out 2 with me, let me know!
