Every time I recollect and share a past event or anecdote with friends, I am aware that somewhere I am either adding or subtracting from it to suit the occasion. We all do this, wired as we are, to a fertile imagination that delights in regaling our audience. Memories are pliable; their contours change with deliberate or spontaneous intention, mostly harmless. Which is why Oliver Sacks, the neurologist and writer, said that memories are not fixed or frozen, like Proust's jars of preserves in a larder, but are transformed, disassembled, reassembled and recategorised with every act of recollection.
In cultures where epics survived via oral tradition, one finds multiple versions of the same stories, including those that make up the Mahabharat and the Ramayan, since the telling and retelling get embellished with local flavours and subtexts. This is what makes oral recollections a treasure trove of interesting perspectives, offering myriad life lessons and they successfully engage the audience that listens in rapt attention.
You can choose to 'forget' nasty or sad happenings and keep alive the more happy ones that bring joy and happiness. Which is why one tends to even forget facial features of those who hurt us in the past, and this helps one move on. This is not escapism but a good survival strategy, to push back unpleasant memories and nurture happy ones that come easily to the surface. Each day offers us the opportunity to create happy moments that will become part of this memory bank.
In cultures where epics survived via oral tradition, one finds multiple versions of the same stories, including those that make up the Mahabharat and the Ramayan, since the telling and retelling get embellished with local flavours and subtexts. This is what makes oral recollections a treasure trove of interesting perspectives, offering myriad life lessons and they successfully engage the audience that listens in rapt attention.
You can choose to 'forget' nasty or sad happenings and keep alive the more happy ones that bring joy and happiness. Which is why one tends to even forget facial features of those who hurt us in the past, and this helps one move on. This is not escapism but a good survival strategy, to push back unpleasant memories and nurture happy ones that come easily to the surface. Each day offers us the opportunity to create happy moments that will become part of this memory bank.
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com.)
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