As depicted in Salvador Dali’s artwork The Persistence of Memory, time seems to melt. Who you were ten years ago may not be who you are today and who you will be ten years from now. But are you not the same person? Or past, present, and future are intimately linked by our memories.
Memories are fundamental to being human. It has many important roles in our life but the most important one is that memories help form our identity. We know who we are because of our memories. Our brain creates a story out of our experiences, and our sense of self develops over time. This is the called autobiographical memory (AM). Our personal memories give us a sense of continuity—that is, we are the same person moving through time.
Memories are almost always social in nature. Telling memory stories helps us bond with others. When we reminisce about our experiences with others, we are also sharing parts of ourselves. This creates a connection with others, helping us form new relationships and maintain the once we already have. Personal memories are important for our social interactions, helping us relate to the wider society.
Lastly, help us learn lessons from our past and guide us in solving problems in the future. Our memories allow us to reflect on our past, helping us see the mistakes we have made with the hope that we learn from them and avoid making the same errors.
What does revisiting our memories have to do with our present? In a nutshell, it can make the present a better place. Appreciating the events from our past influences our perception of ourselves and helps us truly live in the present.
Revisiting our past also makes us appreciate all our life experiences. Revisiting makes us appreciate the lessons we have learned and makes us excited for what the future may bring.
The future is a big unknown to us, and we can never completely prepare what the future would bring. But we rest in the knowledge that we can draw on our past memories to guide and prepare us for our future.
Sources:
Breines, Juliana Breines. “5 Surprising Reasons You should Look Back on the Past.” Last modified May 31, 2016.
Jun, Li Jun Ji. “How do the Past and Future Influence Your Present Self.” Last modified November 5, 2019.
Van Bergen, Penny Van and Celia Harris. “Are We Really Shaped by a Few “Core Memories’? Here’s the Science.” Last modified October 18, 2022.
https://www.sciencealert.com/are-we-really-shaped-by-a-few-core-memories-heres-the-science.