Total Memory Makeover: Uncover Your Past, Take Charge of Your Future by Henner Marilu

Author:Henner, Marilu [Henner, Marilu]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Gallery Books
Published: 2012-04-24T00:00:00+00:00

Partners in Memory

Memories naturally trigger other memories. This is an important point that will come up often in your memory journey. Even though Michael did have trouble remembering our 2004 Venice trip, he was eventually able to remember more just by trading memories back and forth with me. Lorin and Kaisha did a similar exercise and eventually got similar results. They provided lots of triggers and connections for each other, just as Michael and I did. Nothing helps open the floodgates more effectively than exchanging memories with someone who shared the experience with you.

You may not be able to bring back every moment, but just having a partner makes it easier and a lot more fun to fill in the blanks together. Imagine then what could be accomplished when you bring three or four people into this memory mix, which is what Lorin, Kaisha, and I tried with a shared family trip, the Henner Family Christmas in New York, 2007. At first, they could only remember a few highlights, but eventually every day, each meal, and all the events came flooding back. Believe it or not, almost every one of the sights, smells, tastes, emotions, and memories was brought to the surface by a few prompting questions from me to get them started. Lorin and Kaisha were thrilled, because they hadn’t thought about these moments for almost four years, and we practically reenacted our entire trip!

It’s important to do this every once in a while with the memories you want to keep alive. Reliving those holiday weeks in New York gave us an extended warranty, so to speak, on that event in our lives. Without doing this for important memories, it’s very easy for them to fade to a point where only a séance will bring them back.

Occasional recollection is essential for keeping memories present. When I go back and think about a particular place, like Venice, I don’t just think about my last visit there. I automatically see each of the four trips I’ve taken there, from my first visit in 1976 to shoot a Wisk “Ring around the collar” commercial, to two trips with my second husband, Rob, in January 1986 and September 1988, and the one with Michael and my sons in 2004. When I think about each trip, every memory comes flooding back. I remember my daily morning jog route, the little bakery I always passed or stopped at to get a torte. I can still see the faces of the people who worked there. As I’m thinking about this, I can even hear the songs that were playing on the radio during one of my visits. I love doing this exercise, and it is very rewarding for me. It’s like world-traveling and time-traveling rolled into one. One of the biggest reasons this is easy for me is because I do it often. As much fun as this is on my own, it’s even more fun to do it with others.

Make it a point to try this memory assignment with someone while you are reading this book.

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