“God gave us memories, that we might have June roses in the December of our lives.” — James Barrie (paraphrased by Thomas S. Monson).
I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a December of my life…more like an October. And I do agree with Anne of Green Gables, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” And, really, I’m not too fond of roses. So what’s up with this quote and this post?
Well, the point here is that memories are so, so, so healthy. Since I was 12, I pretty much straight up wrote in my journal every day. Some may call it insane to write that much, but I actually don’t have a great memory for memories, and writing in my journal helps me keep things straight on what happened when in my life. But here’s where the “pretty much” part comes in. I’ve been pretty terrible about writing in my journal the past 3 or 4 years, for whatever reason. Partially because of time (although I still have the same 24 hours in a day), partially because I deal with deeper problems now that are hard to write about, partially because…I have no idea. #therehappenstobeapositivecorrelationwithwhenistartedblogging #oops
But because I was feeling perhaps a bit guilty about my lack of record-keeping (I am over stake family history, after all), I decided to experiment with the MySocialBook ads I keep seeing on Facebook (I know, I’m a sucker). Basically it’s a system where you plug in your Facebook info and the company prints off a book for you of all your posts, comments, pictures, etc. They had a good deal running one day, and I decided to go for it. My books arrived this past week.
These books represent the last 8 years since I came home from my mission (since Facebook wasn’t that much of a thing before my mission…crazy! My MOM was the one who told me to get on it the day after I got home. Haha).
I hardly count many things as a coincidence because my books came in a week where for whatever reason I was just feeling…lonely. I have tons of friends and, believe me, it’s not your fault. You’re always there for me, and I’m grateful for it. It’s just one of those things that happens in life where you can somehow feel lonely in a crowd of people who love you.
So I’ve been poring over these books this week, and it’s been so fun to realize a few things from my posts.
- I actually do look older than a 23-year-old now. Good? Bad? Neutral?
- I thought that my snarkiness was only developed in the last few years, but no….I’ve been snarky for a loooong time. #sorrynotsorry #whyimsingle
- I have a lot of friends who have had a significant impact on my life for a time but who are no longer in my immediate circle. I have felt a surge of gratitude this week for things they’d done with/for me that I had forgotten about.
- A picture is actually worth 10,000 words. But 140 words is a better representation of a memory or a feeling or sentiment at a certain pinpoint time in life.
- I think the universe feels when we are feeling sentimental because a mission companion who I had lost contact with for 5 or 6 years found me on Facebook yesterday and we chatted for an hour. #thanksfacebook
- Feeling sentimental causes us to reach out to those we love. I contacted, called, texted, messaged, emailed, or visited several people this week who I hadn’t caught up with in a while. #balmofgileadtomysoul
- Memories can soften loneliness. They can also increase it (I miss my brasileiros like a million times more this week). But they somehow sweeten and change the tone of the loneliness. What a blessing old and new, tried, trusted, and true connections and memories are to combat loneliness.
If I were a real blogger, I would now give you a discount link to order your own books on MySocialBook.com. But I’m not a real blogger, just a wannabe. And I have no such links.
For whatever reason God gave us memories, even if they’re June roses, I’m just grateful to have them.