I don’t know about you but I love reminiscing. Memory lane is a place I visit all too often…probably more than most. I’m the type of person that keeps all the photographs, all the cards, most of the gifts, and no, I’m not a hoarder but I like to keep things that had some kind of meaning to me at some point in my life.

I enjoy talking with people that I’ve known for years and all of a sudden, we end up bringing up memories of the past. It takes me back to those moments with a little more clarity knowing that someone was there, sharing it with me.

Are there certain moments that trigger a memory where you’re suddenly transported back to that exact time with all the emotions that went with it? All I have to do is listen to a specific song, smell a distinct aroma or look at a photograph, and immediately, it’s like I’m reliving that exact point in time. It’s actually kind of crazy when it does happen that both, my mind and my body, can remember things so vividly.

The past is behind, learn from it. The future is ahead, prepare for it. The present is here, live it.

Thomas S. Monson

I think it’s important to keep your memories alive in a way that proves you have truly lived. It’s not about allowing them to make you wish you could go back, live in the past or resent your present and future. It’s about holding them close to your heart and feeling satisfied that you got to experience LIFE and all it entails.

It’s true. There are some memories that aren’t worth looking back on… but just remember where you are now. There’s no shame in your past because all the matters is what’s being done in the now and whatever you plan for the future. Memory lane can cause a lot of confusion, a lot of laughter, a lot of joy, a lot of sorrow, and maybe even some closure.

Just remember where you are now

But it’s only there when you choose to visit. I think with Christmas fast approaching, it’s where most people remember holidays in the past and what’s changed now. If traditions are still going on, are there any new ones, has the family grown since then? To remember is a gift. It may not always be pleasant, it may not always be what you want, but that’s just how life goes.

With memories, you should hold on but not hold tight enough where you can’t let go. Reliving the past is not the same as living in the past. Remember what was then and anticipate what you will create from this moment on.