Hello everyone and happy Thursday!
Yesterday as I drove around the city, many memories came to mind of my late husband Jeff. It's funny how memories work. You may not think of something for a long time and then you drive by a place, into a certain area of town or see something you've seen 100 times before and Wah-lah! A memory. In this case it was a good memory of early mornings in between his job and mine and a chance to eat breakfast together.
Memories really are strange things and they can illicit strange feelings at times. For the most part, when memories of him come to me, they have been good; other times, not so much. I can tell you many of my memories and my feelings regarding Jeff have been mixed at best over the last 2 years. I'm okay with that, it's been part of the process of healing.
Despite any mixed feelings I may have, I am thankful that God gave us minds that could retain memories. For in our memories, we have ourselves. We know who we are and where we've come from. I also believe just as Dr. Seuss did, we find the value of a particular moment in our memories, both good and bad. The value of my breakfast memory with Jeff was time. Time with the real man who really loved me.
How can one find value in bad memories you ask? The value of bad memories teach us where we don't want to return. They also teach us valuable lessons about ourselves - such as what we need to change and about who or what we don't want to become. I know this may sound odd but for me, I know where I don't want to return thanks to bad memories. Yes, you read that right. I did say thanks to bad memories. Bad memories are excellent teachers if you will but pay attention.
We will always have our memories, good or bad. We can't lock them away or forget them (well not really). Let's use them to better our lives and to focus on good things, good times and the good in people. When you do this, you will turn what is bad to good and what is good to great.
Remembering always,
Elizabeth