Midnight, not a sound from the pavement

The happiest memories are of moments that ended when they should have.  ~Robert Brault

I hate it when people get stuck in the past, unable to move forward with their lives, unable to let go of the things they enjoyed when they were little. 

I know people who constantly talk about things that have happened. To a point where it's no longer fun to reminisce any more. It's a chore to listen to the stories you once shared with them, the good times you once had. 

However, memories -- my memories are really important to me and something that I feel should be important to everyone. People just need to not be afraid to make new ones.

I had a dream last night, that I was talking to my Granda, my Granda is dead now, but before he died he'd been ill for a long time. He had Huntington's, because of this, his speech was never great and towards the end was almost non existant. However, in the dream, although still having Huntington's, he could still talk coherently. 

I'm not sure how the subject came up, but we were talking about something that had happened in his life and he started talking about it. I asked him some other questions and he started answering them, until a point where I told him I was going to write them down, and so I did. I went and got my laptop and started asking him more questions. Noting down the answers he gave. The idea that I was documenting his life both for his sake and my own was a good feeling. The fact that these memories were being shared and could be shared again.

I woke up though...

I was speaking to Allan about how our generation (and in turn, future generations) have amazing tools if we choose to utilise them.  Youtube, Flickr, even Blogger. A way to document our lifes, down to the minute detail, to share our memories both in real time and to save them for the future. 

The idea of our children googling our names and finding stories, videos and pictures of us, living our lives, having fun -- It may seem somewhat cringe-worthy to think about right now, but is it really any more cringe-worthy than some of the pictures we see of our parents/family when they were younger? I don't think so. Yet, I at least, look back at photos of my mum, her sisters, my grandparents, etc with real interest. Seeing these people I've known my whole life, who raised me, at the age I am now. The stories that come with those photos. Why would anyone not want to have that? 

I have a strangely specific memory and I can recall the tiniest details from years ago, things that everyone else will have forgotten, including the people key to the memories, but I think a big reason I insist on filming and taking photos, now, is because of my Granny. She has dementia and although I may never suffer from it, just the chance I could makes me want to document as much as possible, so that even if I can't share those memories any more, those memories are there to find, whether it be by people looking to reminisce or by people looking to find out about me and my friends. 

And I hope to be able to add more memories for them to find over the years to come.