Memories

Dear Readers,

Memories can feel like shadows that follow us. They randomly emerge and we feel their presence.

We’re walking on the sidewalk and all of a sudden, we hear that song. We smell that candle from a shop. We see that flower. We feel that light snow on our skin.

And suddenly, a shadow emerges on the sidewalk beside us. That shadow carries all of our associations with that one trigger of memory. That one sense that brings it all back. One random trigger and the past comes rushing back.

We see what we saw. Hear what we heard. Smell what we smelled. Feel what we felt.

Memories can feel so vivid that when they come back, we sometimes let them linger and bring us back to where we were.

Sometimes, our shadows push us forward, and other times they pull us back.

I remember one of my high school teachers talked about the “shadow self” which, according to Carl Jung, refers to aspects of ourselves that we may want to suppress, such as emotions or wants, as they may be seen as unsuitable by societal standards.

I feel that memories can be seen as another version or form of our “shadow selves” as only we know and experience what we have in the past and many of us keep our past experiences to ourselves. Even the vivid ones that you strongly do or do not want to remember, you may not share, and if you do, no one can fully know or understand what you experienced. No one can fully feel your scars, joyful laughs from the past, or intimate moments. No one can fully discern the features of your shadow.

It is important to remember that you are not your shadow. Your shadow stands beside you. It can help guide you in the right direction.

Memories are precious, but whatever is ahead of you on the sidewalk may be as or even more significant than what is behind you.

All of your memories can function as experiences and lessons from the past that you can learn from, make you stronger, and propel you forward.

So, when a trigger pops up and your shadow emerges, smile at it. Be thankful for it. It gave you a new experience and got you to where you are today.

But you are not who you were. You are always evolving. While the past shapes us, we should not live in it.

Your shadow may follow you, but you should always keep moving forward. Use it as your guide.

Love,

Samantha