The Thread

I have often thought of memories as a sort of mental blanket. There are so many individual threads that make the whole complete. As I read pg. 38 this blanket came to mind in the explanation given about stories lasting for eternity. We aren't ever going to remember every experience that makes up our personal history, but there are stories that will always bring something to memory. A significant event in a person's life can be referred back to or "remembered." When that remembrance occurs and the story can be shared it continues to live on.

This passage also brought to mind an Alzheimer's patient that has difficulty remembering yesterday but 30 years ago is crystal clear. When a story once again comes to life through memory it's as though the time between is suddenly shortened and comes together into a path that leads to the present. I'm not old enough to have to think back on my life with any sense nostalgia or remembrance as compared to Tim. However, my "war" period could be considered childhood or my teenage years. I often think back and wonder what occurrences brought me from there to here. As I think back, stories come to mind that fill in the gaps and make sense of past years. I think this is the experience he is referring to when he speaks of trying to remember how he came to be at a particular point in his life.

I also like the significance of the passage having a page to itself. It brings a certain depth and importance to it, the fact that it doesn't have to share the page or be crowded out by other thoughts. It is somehow enhanced and stands out, not only at the end of the chapter, but in a space of its own. I often wonder if things like that are the intention of the author or the random doings of the press.