Memoria

 God gave us memories that we might have roses in December. 
~J.M. Barrie, Courage, 1922

Today is my birthday...another year older, but hopefully wiser.  As the gap to being 1/2 a century old gets smaller, I find myself reflecting on my life......

• Have I made the right choices?
• Have my desires, fears, instincts, or Holy Spirit guided my decisions?  
• Am I on the best path?
• Is my current status "as good as it gets" or will there be an unexpected epilogue?

My memories of times past help my reflection. Sometimes, I can pull memories forward with little effort while other memories require a word, an odor, a flavor, a sound, or a texture to pull a memory forward from the cobwebs of my brain. Cognitive Psychology is a field of science which studies the mechanisms of memory.  There does seem to be a method to how a brain stores memory even though the experts can't seem to agree where certain memories are stored.  Some scientific evidence shows that the hyppocampus stores more recent memories while other research supports that older memories are stored in the upper surfaces of the frontal, temporal, or parietal lobes.  No matter where the memories are stored....or whether the memories are short-term or long-term, the roses in December either bring me joy; or I find a way to gain wisdom from painful, sorrowful, or disappointing memories.  Dr. Wayne Dyer states that we can create the world that we live in by how we process information from our world, so I figure that I can create positive memories by how I process the facts and feelings from past events......even if negative details and emotions occurred.  

  I’m not going to tell you the story the way it happened. I’m going to tell it the way I remember it.

- Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Friedrich Nietzsche, a 19th century German philosopher, once stated that the existence of forgetting had never been proven, and that some things just don't come to mind when we want them.  I suppose he believed that there was more than choice involved with the mechanism of forgetting. 

There is one particular memory from an event which occurred more than 25 years ago where a specific detail refuses to come forward. With this memory, it is strange how this one detail can not be remembered while other details from the event are crisp and clear.  I can even remember how I felt throughout the whole event. One day the detail will be revealed to me, but till then, I cherish the positive lessons learned and the affectionate memory of a possibility (2 Maccabees 9).  This event was a blessing for it stirred an enthusiasm within me for the definition of life.  

 He put fresh heart into them by citing the Law and the Prophets and, by stirring up memories of the battles they had already won, he filled them with new enthusiasm. - 2 Maccabees 15

I agree with Helen Keller for she thought that life is always good as long as the memory of certain beloved friends lived in her heart. Through my short life time, I have a few beloved friends who belong to my different rites of passages; and have a permanent resident in my heart for I have shared tears, laughter, love, and faith with each one. When I am in reflective mood, I use my senses to relive the joyful memories.  Not only experiencing life with these friends were blessings, but I am twice blessed with the memories.  This particular birthday has brought birthday blessings of joy, peace, messages from friends, hugs from family, simplicity, hope, new memories, love, encouragement, sunshine, and laughter. The day reminds me of the a verse from Ezekiel 34......"I will cause showers to come down in their season; there will be showers of blessings."  

I believe the purpose of memories is hope. HOPE in the possibility that doors passed up and unopened will come by again; or HOPE in the probability that the doors unopened will still bring joy, because I am striving to fulfill my purpose in life. I believe that God will correct my path if I make a wrong turn as long as I work towards His expectation.  My memories help me evaluate the distance and path which I have traveled, so I can determine which direction I am to go. 

Footfalls echo in the memory
Down the passage which we did not take
Towards the door we never opened
~T.S. Eliot

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St. Raphael the Archangel, bring God's healing and guide me to open the next unexpected door.

St. Therese the little flower, pray for my humility.

St. Pio, pray for my unborn children.

St. Francis de Sales, pray for my simplicity and gentleness.

St. Jude, please pray for the impossible cases of my heart. 

Thank you dear Lord for a beautiful and blessed day.

Bless those who have blessed me. Amen.

- little petunia