fbpx

The Memory Jar

Reader Contribution by Erin Sheehan
1 / 2
2 / 2

Scottish novelist James M. Barrie wrote, “God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December.” And as the temperature plummets and snow blankets the ground, how often do you find yourself closing your eyes and thinking of a warm August afternoon? If you are like me, you call to mind harvesting summer’s bounty from the garden under the summer sun.

As I get older and the years seem to pass more and more quickly, I find memories slipping away, and I realize I don’t recall the happy ones often enough. Even looking back at 2014, I find it hard to remember the triumphant moments, the highs, the good times.

Memories fade and grow worn with time, but we can keep them alive if we try. While everything around us changes constantly, memories remain constant. Especially if we have some help now and again to bring back the good ones.

For 2015, I have created a “Memory Jar.” Starting January 1, I will write down the good things that happen to me on scraps of paper and put them in the jar. On December 31, I will open the jar and relive all of the good times I had in 2015. Simple, right? American poet Elias Lieberman said, “Memories are all we really own.” And in 2015, I’ll rely on my Memory Jar to help me own a few more of the good ones. Happy New Year to you, dear reader!