To really be honest with yourself requires digging into the memory banks. Splashing around and poking at things. Looking at what’s yours to own and what can be released into the ethers with confidence, knowing it’s time to let go of emotions or ideas that no longer serve you. But at the same time, our memories also hold what is closest to our hearts; the things that have come to shape us as human beings and propel us on our unique path in life.
As heart warming or painful as they can sometimes be, memories can’t always be trusted. Peppered with idealisms, past hurts and misinterpreted tid-bits of information mixed with rose-colored glasses and half-self manufactured ideas, personal memories stand alone in their power –meaning, they are most influential only on you.
And let’s face it, most people make future decisions based on past experiences, fueled primarily by memories.
I digress for a moment with a small confession — I used to watch Saved By the Bell (judge if you must). For those who don’t know the show, it was a kitschy, late 80s, early 90s show about a group of high school kids in California. I would sometimes catch it on Saturday morning as a teenager, if I happened to be awake. Feeling a bit nostalgic recently, I re-watched some episodes on Netflix, squealing in laughter at the crazy outfits I remember (and some I kinda owned myself) and reeling in the show’s innocence and silliness.
Surprisingly, I only actually remembered the content of a few of the episodes. Most of them ended up being a mash-up of a bunch of episode plot lines or story arcs, and my “trusty memory” all of a sudden became suspect. Back then, when my life was much less complicated and my mind was fresh an unjaded (my 30ish year-old self says NOW…) wouldn’t those memories be the most pure? Shouldn’t I be able to trust that time in my life with full accuracy?
And in that moment I realized yet again why living in the present is so important.
People can get caught up in the past and future, thinking that what has passed is ideal or horrible and what’s ahead is set in stone, soon to be a memory we DON’T want UNLESS we get busy trying to shape or “think” it into the ideal outcome. Same goes for when we’ve been burned — everything starts to smell, feel and look like a past hurt, so we shut down and can’t look at life with fresh eyes, trusting the truth will reveal itself in present, just as it should be.
So aside from my silly initial inspiration to re-open my heart and look at the truth in my own memories, it’s inspired me to be more open than ever. To trust I have the best information and insight at the right time and will feel into right action, even if I don’t know how to RIGHT NOW. I invite you to do the same — to take even just one thought or idea and open up to it, just as it is, not thinking, but trusting in the present instead of the past.
Photo by oh_pretty_love