你知道如何简单、快速地保存记忆吗?_美文

你知道如何简单、快速地保存记忆吗?

many of my happiness-project activities are aimed at my resolution to be a treasure house of happy memories. studies show that thinking back on happy times elevates mood, and observing and preserving memories is one of the most satisfying ways of bringing order to life.

my mother started a memory-keeping tradition a few years ago that has proved to be a lot of fun.

she bought two matching lined journals, one for each granddaughter. at the end of every visit to kansas city, my older daughter writes a paragraph about the highlights of our visit, and i write in my younger daughter’s book.

we’ve only been doing it since 2007, but already, we all enjoy looking back at the entries from past visits. it’s astounding how quickly even intense memories fade, and how effectively a brief note reminds us of highlights from the past – the time my daughter fell into the duck pond, the time my father set off the fire alarm when making pancakes, the time when my sister and her husband

(the fact that these mishaps are highlights proves the secret of adulthood that my mother taught me: "the times when things go wrong often make the best memories." good to keep in mind.)

it’s also interesting to see my older daughter’s handwriting change, and to see how my younger daughter has gone from adding her scribbles to my note to being able to write her name.