Remembering things today for no good reason. I wonder why or how it's possible for a brain to store a memory of something that took place about 62 years ago. Here is that memory. I was at a high school football game with my girlfriend. She was a senior I was a junior. We were enjoying the game when 3 kids behind us started to make nasty comments about me. Didn't know them at that time so just ignored them. Since that wasn't working for them they started with the nasty comments directed towards my girlfriend. She said to ignore them. I did for about a minute. I stood up turned around to confront them. I think that surprised them because they shut up. Then they started again, this time I told them to shut up or I would shut them up. That was what began the rest of this memory. The one in the middle shoved me, I fell backwards over the seat, got up an slugged that one. His two buddys grabbed me but adults stepped in to separate us. The police showed up, the adults stuck up for me, the police threw those 3 out. That should have been the end of it. It wasn't The senior I slugged had a swollen cheek & black eye that had the school talking about how a junior beat a senior in a fight. About two weeks later not expecting anything my girlfriend & I were leaving the place where we went roller skating. Outside there was a crowd of kids including the guy I hit & his two friends. Ignoring them we walked towards my car. As I was opening the door for my girlfriend the two friends grabbed me, turned me around so the big mouth could sucker punch me. With that they let me go, BIG mistake! Once loose that guy came at me swinging. The fight didn't last very long, I went home with a black eye & a lot of blood on my tee shirt. Two days later police showed up to inform me I would be charged with assault. They also said the parents were filing a lawsuit to have me pay for the hospital bill & injuries to their son. Loss of a couple of teeth, a broken jaw, & fractured ribs were what they claim there son suffered. That was true. The lawsuit never made it to court because my girlfriend and some of the kids at the fight explained to his lawyer what took place. That his friends held me, he swung 1st. sucker punching me & came at me after they let me loose. Leaving me with no choice but to defend myself. That was the first & last time in my life I fought.
Your brain is much like a computer. The memories you don't need or use, don't stay activated, but they remain in your brain files all of your whole life. Then, out of nowhere, a song or movie or smell, etc. comes along and reactivates that old memory. Even when you search for them, sometimes you can't find them.............and then something odd happens, and they seem to pop up out of nowhere.
For some reason, memories of embarrassing things seem to be the ones that pop into my head. Ack. Like the time in high school when I was on a first date, all decked out and wearing high heels. Then fell down a flight of stairs at the concert. I really know how to make an entrance.
I've been remembering a lot of episodic stuff lately, some very obscure. I think I'm starting on some type of life review, now that I'm entering the final stage. Don't mean to be morbid, but that's the only explanation I have for these nearly forgotten things popping up.
Interesting topic. I have noticed this happening more than ever in the last year. Insignificant events of the past appearing like it was yesterday. Just this morning I was thinking about what I needed to accomplish today. I always make a list in the morning and some days proudly have all the items marked as done before bed time. Other days, not so much. Anyway the memory of 55 years ago when I played guitar first in public pops in my head this morning. Our little band had just got all in tune and we were ready to play. It was a Ventures tune, "Walk Don't Run," and when I hit the second note, it was badly off. The drummer thought he was real funny sneaking up behind me and detuning my A string. I tuned it back up and no big deal. I am still puzzled why such an insignificant totally forgotten thing would pop in my head as I was fixing my coffee. @Bess Barber I totally agree and this is why I am still puzzled over this silly flash back. I must have dreamed about it because I can't think of anything that would trigger such a memory shortly after getting up.
According to a college professor I once had, you never really forget anything, but some of your memory files are stored in a deeper location than others, and are activated only when certain stimuli are triggered. When the same professor would struggle to recall something, he'd comment "I wonder why I repressed that?"
I recently heard on tv or saw on the internet that one thing a lot of people recall and regret when they're older is mistakes they made raising their children. OT One of the most glaring and telling things from a "me too" accusation: a woman making decades old accusations for the first time said, "I'm going to work on my memories this week-end." To "work on" memories, whether you do it yourself or a professional helps you, is to distort and corrupt them.
I can remember hurts and embarrassments from my pre-teen days, as well as some of the major accomplishments. Yet, although I was thirteen when my mother died, most often I can't remember what she looked like. I have only one photo and it's from a time when my dad was serving in World War II, and neither one of them looked like that by the time I came along. However, at times, I can picture her in my mind with no trouble, particularly in dreams or at moments when I am not trying to do so. Anyhow, her appearance is in my head but I can't recall it on demand.