Memory is an odd thing.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It can be short or long, good or patchy, photographic or completely gone.
Maybe you struggle to remember what appointments you have this week, but can without hesitation recall where the best coffee can be found in each town you’re likely to visit to make those appointments.
Or how, at least 15 years since hearing it last, you can remember perfectly every word to the song Mr Wendal by Arrested Development…
Or is that just me?
Quality and content of memory is particularly noticeable during festivities such as Christmas and New Year.
Have you got a gift for everyone you need to? Are those gifts suitable for that person given what you remember of their likes or otherwise?
Did you pack everything before heading off for a couple of days at whichever family member is hosting Christmas lunch this year? Were you supposed to bring the bread or the salads?
More importantly, we remember those closest to us that we’ve lost along the way and how events such as Christmas, New Year’s, birthdays and so on, take on a rather different feel in their absence.
While family and friends gather to celebrate, it’s the empty seat at the table that can impact the most. It’s amazing how strongly a presence can be felt by it not being there.
Then again, while memories remain, given the passage of years their strength fades and, in time, so can grief.
It also helps to focus on those we do have with us, supportive and loving through darker times.
At Christmas we saw the power of community with lunches held for anyone who wished to join in so that no-one had to spend the day alone. From all accounts they were a rousing success with hundreds of people attending at either the Merimbula, Eden or Bega lunches.
When a local man lost his wife and home on Christmas morning, this community immediately launched a fundraiser to help him get back on his feet. Nothing can give him back what he has lost, and the day is going to be a dark one for years to come. However, this community continues to show how tightly it holds on to its own in warm and loving embraces.
From all of us here, we hope you had a wonderful festive holiday with your loved ones. Hold them close.