My Corner Online

 

The Fun Extras - Set Eight

150. Clinging to Memories

It occurred to me that digital scrapbookers are in the business of "clinging to memories." We are hoarders of "stuff," including memories. We enjoy collecting our memories. Doesn't it sound wrong when it is put that way?

However, as with many characteristic attributes, clinging to memories can sometimes be a good thing and sometimes a bad thing.

For instance, sometimes having confidence can be a good thing and sometimes it can be a bad thing. It all depends on how much confidence we have and where that fine line lies.

So, when is clinging to memories a good thing and when has it crossed that line and is a bad thing?

Let's discuss it!

 

Here are your comments!

 

To cling means to hold on tight. If you are holding so tight to certain memories then you can't clasp new ones. If the memories you cling to are bad ones it will affect your life in negative ways. We can't change our past and there comes a time to leave it behind. Bad memories can leave scars on our life but "scars are a sign of healing". New wonderful memories are fun and I find it hard to pick one or two to cling to but I scrap so there is a record of them and I can sit down and page through them myself and also explain them to others. Because of horible and sensitive issues, there are memories that I can't scrap about but I have written them down in book form so my grandchildren can someday read about my childhood trauma. That book is on a shelf and I am not clinging to any of the things written there. I had to face each memory and decide what to do with it and the only true way was to forgive and move on. I have discovered that scrapping helps "my hoarding". I always wanted to save every reminder I could get my hands on for all our vacations. Now I'm paring down and scrapping items and pictures that highlight our trips. I like that much better. Good grief! I didn't plan to go on so long but I think I'm leaving it all on here. Will be interested in hearing what others think. ljkwoody

now see, I don't see scrapbookers - paper as well as digi - as clinging to memories! I think we celebrate them, and get them down on paper/pixels for ourselves and/or others. Then we move on to the next one! Which is not to downplay the memories' significance at all! Because we know we have a record of a particular event/holiday/childhood milestone etc etc which will trigger the memory whenever we care to look at it, we know it is 'safe' and so it's OK to move on! In comparison with the paper stash and 'stuff' I hoarded, my digi stash is miniscule, LOL!!! As a hobby I guess you could say it's all about hoarding memories, but that's not a bad thing generally. At the end of the day, we are made up of our life's experiences, good and bad. If we've lived through something, and I'm thinking not nec just everyday stuff here, chances are we will have a memory of it somewhere up top!! We are moulded by life's experiences, so in effect, we're rather like a walking scrapbook, LOL!!!! One big, living, breathing hoarding of 'stuff', LOL!! Blimey I had more up top about this topic than I realised, LOL!! Think I need a coffee!!!! Thanks for stimulating the grey matter this morning!! bernie x

I don't really think holding on to memories is either especially good or bad. They help us to remember the good things that happened, and want to repeat, and then they also help us to remember some of the bad things that we don't want to repeat. If we didn't have memories, then what would we be? Empty machines with no feelings or emotions, and no sense of purpose I would think. On a simple level, if we couldn't remember that putting our hand in the fire was a bad thing, we would keep doing it, but we have a memory that it is bad for us, so don't repeat it. But, we also know that going to see friends and family is usually a happy time so we want to repeat it. Basically we are all story tellers, it is just that some of us take it further than others by writing it all down, for future generations to see. I think by scrapping, we are saving our stories for those that come after us, as well as creating memories for ourselves. Imagine what it would be like if previous generations, wrote everything down, and had pictures of themselves, we would know so much more about them and what life was like. I have some photos from my husbands family dating back to about 1906, but they are just photos, no explination on who they are, where they were taken, what was happening, what was going on in the lives of these people. Imagine if they had scrapped them as we do today, the stories, feelings and everyday happenings, we would know so much more about our identity and who we are. You have got me thinking about lots of things today Hummie, thank you for making me think why I love this hobby and what it means to me. sujay

I think that some memories are good to keep safely tucked away in a corner of your heart, but it's when you cling and depend on them too much is when it becomes unhealthy. I think that is true for both good and bad memories. For example: Let's say a close relative dies. Yes, the memories of them can make you happy for a time, but it's when you depend on those memories to get through the day that is unhealthy. You have to be able to move on with living your life and not dwelling in the past, you know? That could lead to all sorts of problems. But good memories can do the exact same thing. You could have a huge breakdown. So, in essence, what I'm saying is that you can cling for a time, but you have to be able to let go. Dawn

Hmm, y'all have made some awesome points. I don't see myself clinging to the memories, just wanting to put them down so that when my memory isn't so hot anymore, I can look back and "remember" what went on. Tammy

Memories are exactly what they say they are - memories. Some may be good and others not so much, they come and go depending on our circumstances and our frame of mind but however much we think we have deleted them from our memory banks as sure as anything they will return to the forefront one day. So I don't think it's 'hoarding/clinging' as such because our memory isn't given an option its an automatic response to an event which leads to a memory. This sounds very matter of fact and obviously a memory is a very emotional entity and some can even affect your outlook on life. By scrapping our memories we are sharing our life experiences with others Barbara

Being the "elder" age that I am I have seen memories go both ways. I have seen them just cripple a friend of mine after losing her husband. She just couldn't move on. But then I have seen other friends just cherish their memories and grow from them. I have never been crippled by a memory. I mourn then the mourning moves on to happy memories that I cherish. I know tht when I can smile at a memory instead of breaking down in tears, I have reached that turning point. I find scrapbooking a good source of keeping those memories for future generations to share. Nancy P

I think when you cling to memories too much and can't move on to live life with new experiences and new memories, it can be labeled a bad thing. But when your life is full and you're learning/doing new things and meeting new people, it's certainly not a bad thing to hold on to your precious memories. Scrapping lets me share my precious memories with my family, especially when I made my Heritage Book. Diane

I also don't see myself as clinging to the memories, just wanting to put them down so that I can pass them on Dawn Miner

Memories are great, but they are memories. Life moves on and changes so rapidly that we need to make sure we don't get stuck in the past. I love my memories and scrapping them. They make me feel good and there are things I want my children to know so I scrap them. My husband has written his memoirs, but mine are scrapped. Maggie