Why is remembering the past so important?

Did you know we spend approximately 40% of our conversational time talking about past events.

Ideally, we learn from personal and historic memories of others. It shapes who we are and can greatly affect how we behave and live our lives in the future.  We pass on lessons learned from memory to our children and in turn grandchildren. That is one of the reasons why Remembrance Day is so important.

The last couple of years have been difficult for so many. Going through lockdown and the worry of illness has affected everyone in different ways.

My own grandchildren will not remember what going through lockdown was like, however, it will greatly affect the way they live their lives without them realising it. At the tender age of 2 years old, my granddaughter has the confidence and expertise of conversing with people online. A computer is a fully acceptable way to communicate with family members any time of the day, but it shouldn’t replace face to face contact. I do see the positive change to communication through the use of future technology. But we are always on our phones.  We aren’t looking up.  What about their connection to nature.  Do we really want that to change?

It is up to us to look around us and share the experiences we have now and our memories of the past to ensure the younger generation get to know how it used to be. Hopefully they will listen and learn; they can use our memories to build their futures.

In the past month WALX Coast and Country members have been taking photos of our local countryside during Autumn. I wonder how much of the landscape will have changed in the next 10 years because of development and climate change.

When we are out walking perhaps, we should spend more time documenting where we love to walk and why. Sharing these places with family.  The more messages we can get out to our future generations about the natural beauty around us, the more likely they will want to help save it. It would be wonderful to think that our memories of certain places of natural beauty are the same as generations to come.