More memories

I guess this time of year really sends me back to yesterday! Different things bring vivid memories back to me, and not all of them I want to remember. One that I remember with warmth is the "ceremony" of the "pulley bone." Have you ever heard of the pulley bone? That was one of my favorite things that went along with the Thanksgiving turkey. And since I was the only child, I always got one end of that pulley bone with Dad usually on the other. For this of you who have no idea what I am talking about, the "pulley bone" is otherwise known as the wishbone!

There is a commercial that shows two children making a wish over this bone. I began remembering my adventures with said bone. I couldn't wait for that bird to be sufficiently devoured so we could get to that bone. That was the only thing I really wanted from old Tom Turkey! I know there is another name for that blasted bone. Forgive me Dr Hartman but my anatomy lessons fail me now! Humph, some biologist I am! Use it or lose it, you know!

There is another memory that came flooding back to me. I hadn't thought of it at all until I was reading another blog that it hit me(someday I will learn how to put in links and will have my favorite sites over there on the side). She was a history professor, and commented that she will miss being behind a lecturn today. She loved to lecture on the JFK assassination. That is not the real memory that haunts me. The real one is that today, on that very day, I had the stupid idea to elope.

Now if that doesn't make for a terrible memory, I don't know what does. I am so thankful that the plan was discovered, and there was an immediate stop put to it. I never set out to hurt my parents like that. I thought that at 18 I knew all there was to know, and I thought I wanted to marry this boy. It would have been such a horrible mistake. But I remember fleeing to my best friends house because I simply couldn't stay in the same house with my understandingly distraught parents. But there on the news was coverage of JFK.

And so, even though I try with all my might to forget that near mistake, each year it comes back to me. Memories are like that. They come flooding back with such intensity. Often that is a good thing (thank you Martha Stewart) and make you all warm and fuzzy. You remember how good times were - even if that memory has skewed a bit. But then there are memories that you really want to repress and never have them come back. But I believe they serve a purpose. As much as I squirm and try to run from the memory of hurting my parents to the quick, I think that memory is important to me. My children have done things that hurt me. Some as much as that memory hurt my parents. I need to remember that, as humans, we are not perfect. We do hurt the ones we love without really meaning to do so. We must be able to get over the hurt, forgive, and go on. The hurt doesn't have to be openly referred to because it will always be there, but the love and forgiveness must be openly shown.

I hope your memories are pleasant, and make those that aren't work for you, not against you.