Spaces
Have you ever heard of episodic memory formation?
Yeah, me either... until about 4 years ago.
Wikipedia says:
Episodic memory is the memory of autobiographical events (times, places, associated emotions, and other contextual who, what, when, where, why knowledge) that can be explicitly stated or conjured. It is the collection of past personal experiences that occurred at a particular time and place. For example, if one remembers the party on their 6th birthday, this is an episodic memory. They allow an individual to figuratively travel back in time to remember the event that took place at that particular time and place.
But really how it was described to me when my neurologist was going over some of my neurological care changes, was that my memory is triggered by places and spaces. Physical spaces draw me back to times in my life that may have left positive and/or negative impressions on me. For better or for worse, that has brought me back to some of the most joyous moments, but also some of the most traumatizing/heartbreaking. But simply by walking into a place or seeing a familiar space, I tend to be transported back to the most vivid memories as if I was there, reliving that moment.
Today I walked into a building where recent memories have been connected to meetings and garlic flatbread (the best garlic flatbread!). But as I was waiting to get my delicious dinner, I turned to see this sweet nook. In that moment, I was reminded of what this space means to me. Rich conversation, special time. As I was sitting there, I looked around me at all of the people enjoying their space, the memories they were building in those conversations and games they were playing. This is where the process of episodic memory formation begins... in the sweet moments of being together.
Spaces.
There are so many of them that I love. From the quaint apartment I rented in Rome, to the night lights on Montlake, to the blossoming quad in the spring... there are so many spaces that make me thankful for episodic memory formation. A thing I once clung onto as my only hope for maintaining my memory, now is an established gift to remind me of the wonder that the Lord has placed in my life.
Thank you to each and every one of you who I have shared spaces with, you make those episodic memories worth forming.
xo,
T
Yeah, me either... until about 4 years ago.
Wikipedia says:
Episodic memory is the memory of autobiographical events (times, places, associated emotions, and other contextual who, what, when, where, why knowledge) that can be explicitly stated or conjured. It is the collection of past personal experiences that occurred at a particular time and place. For example, if one remembers the party on their 6th birthday, this is an episodic memory. They allow an individual to figuratively travel back in time to remember the event that took place at that particular time and place.
But really how it was described to me when my neurologist was going over some of my neurological care changes, was that my memory is triggered by places and spaces. Physical spaces draw me back to times in my life that may have left positive and/or negative impressions on me. For better or for worse, that has brought me back to some of the most joyous moments, but also some of the most traumatizing/heartbreaking. But simply by walking into a place or seeing a familiar space, I tend to be transported back to the most vivid memories as if I was there, reliving that moment.
Today I walked into a building where recent memories have been connected to meetings and garlic flatbread (the best garlic flatbread!). But as I was waiting to get my delicious dinner, I turned to see this sweet nook. In that moment, I was reminded of what this space means to me. Rich conversation, special time. As I was sitting there, I looked around me at all of the people enjoying their space, the memories they were building in those conversations and games they were playing. This is where the process of episodic memory formation begins... in the sweet moments of being together.
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| State Street Bar, Tacoma WA |
Spaces.
There are so many of them that I love. From the quaint apartment I rented in Rome, to the night lights on Montlake, to the blossoming quad in the spring... there are so many spaces that make me thankful for episodic memory formation. A thing I once clung onto as my only hope for maintaining my memory, now is an established gift to remind me of the wonder that the Lord has placed in my life.
Thank you to each and every one of you who I have shared spaces with, you make those episodic memories worth forming.
xo,
T
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| Rome | 2016 |
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| Kickoff | 2017 Season |
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| UW Quad | Spring 2016 |
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