"Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose." - The Wonder Years

Your memory is a visual or mental scrapbook. No one wants to save memories that they hate: memories of loss, heartbreak, rejection, fear, death, etc. You only want to remember the good and positive, overwriting all of the negative images.

For example, my brother, sister, and I constantly fought growing up. I can vaguely remember what would actually happen. I do remember when my brother was really into WWF and professional wrestling and would practice on my sister and I. I think I can remember that now because it's one of those, "remember that time..." stories that are always hilarious and can be told over and over again. I think I'll always remember the more positive images of the two of them. Some of them aren't necessarily more positive, but they're definitely more meaningful. Like, when my sister and I go shopping together and the talks we have there. Or, what my brother wrote to me in his senior section, how I felt when he left for college in the fall, how he responds to my text messages, etc.

It's actually really strange how you can remember only certain things. For example, in tramatic events like car accidents and such, like in the essay we're reading in class. I don't quite remember the exact wording, but Stephen King compares his memory of this day to a film strip with missing scenes. I really would like to analyze this one day or at least get my questions about memory answered. Why does your brain only preserve bits and pieces of certain incidents? Does it have to do with the dramtic-ness of incident? Or is it a mind-over-matter instance, where you don't want to remember it, so you just don't?