Week #14- Kristine Dang - Why Do Certain Objects Hold Special Memories?
At the beginning of Batts article, he asks the reader a question to consider. ‘“If your house was burning, what would you take with you?”’ Besides taking our phones, we would probably take the things that hold the most value to us morally. Batts explains that these objects, even if they are things like a “wilted flower kept from a first date or prom night,” hold certain emotions to them. Often they are emotions that we only experience once in a lifetime which is why they are so irreplaceable. They are also tied to feelings of “nostalgia” that remind people of the joy they experienced from the past. Seeing these objects symbolizes a physical part of the memory that can be forgotten or disappear unless it is misplaced.
For these reasons, we would choose to take things that are unique to us and hold a special meaning that is not relatable to others which is why one may see an old shirt as something that should be tossed out while to another it may seem very valuable and precious.
Hey Kristine! I must admit, I hoard a bunch of seemingly random items that remind me of wonderful memories. A few months ago, when I visited India, I met all my cousins, aunts and uncles at a restaurant for dinner after a family trip. As we were talking, we realized that this was most likely the last time all of us would be able to meet up like this as everyone was moving away, to different cities and countries. I stole a napkin from that restaurant and still have it taped up to my white board. I don’t plan on taking it down anytime soon, but it's a memory I would like to keep forever. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Kristine! The amount of memories that we attach to arbitrary things that aren't necessarily practical to life is certainly an interesting thing about the human condition. The fact that we can gain joy just from a trinket is greatly mystifying. As a result, I agree that there is merit in keeping things that give unique memories to us safely.
ReplyDeleteHi Kristene, there are many things that definitely hold a lot of meaning to me. Some of these however, I store in my bedside drawer or somewhere deep in my desk, where I don't see it everyday. Eventually I forget it's even there, and when I do a room cleaning and these objects appear, I am reminded of everything those objects are associated with.
ReplyDeleteKristine, I can definitely relate to this post and what you have said in it. I have done art from a very young age and I still have art pieces all around my room from when I was 10 years old to 17 years old. I am somewhat of a hoarder when it comes to my art pieces; when my mom and I were cleaning my room during quarantine she said why don't you get rid of these pieces but I just couldn't. Each artwork holds such a special place in my heart even though my earliest pieces are bad, each still represents my progress and improvement in art. Thank you for allowing me to reflect.
ReplyDeleteHey Kristine, now that you pointed it out, I have noticed there is actually a lot of what seems like junk in my room but aren’t because of the memories they hold that I am too hesitant to throw out. I remember keeping and still having a piece of the wood that chipped from the board students were supposed to break back at my old karate class because I wanted to treasure and remember that moment forever. When we keep these objects that hold our memories, it also serves as a way for us in the future to look back and be able to cherish, experiencing the great feeling of nostalgia. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Kristine! I found the topic of the association of memories with inanimate objects to be very interesting. I remember in sophomore year, my English teacher asked us the same question, “what is one item you will take with you if your house was burning down?” I thought about these questions for hours and really pondered what each item in my house means to me. To be honest, I would not be able to choose only one thing because there are so many items that mean so much to me. How could I choose between the BFF necklace my childhood best friend gifted me and the teddy bear I hugged when I was a toddler. I really enjoy the memories that pop up when I look at these things and definitely hope that they stay with me forever! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI love to keep memorabilia from periods of my life. I do a lot of things as if I will have amnesia and forget all my life, and somehow this embroidery hoop from Pride and Prejudice or the flower I dried from closing night of Freaky Friday will remind me of those moments and feelings and experiences. I behave as if I will suddenly forget everything and these things are all that will keep me, myself. I also am quick to associate things I already love with people or newer moments. I have a book that reminds me of a friend although I owned it for years before I even knew them. I think that is human nature though, the need to connect every aspect of our lives with our love for this, that, or the other. We are romantics.
ReplyDeleteHi Kristine! I can totally relate to keeping things that we don't really use any more. I still have old birthday cards from friends from years ago that I've lost touch with or don't talk to anymore. I like looking at them whenever I feel down, and I can't bring myself to throw them away because of how special they are. Usually, it is often the most insignificant or ordinary objects that tend to have a lot of value to us because of the memories they are associated with. I also like keeping items like that because it lets you remember good memories from times you might remember, so it's always nice to look back to the past and experience nostalgia once in a while.
ReplyDeleteHey Kristine, I can completely understand the deep hold of nostalgia and memory certain objects create upon us. For example, I still have most of the elementary works that I have from my younger years. They all sit in a box in my closet, hidden away but never forgotten. Sometimes, when going through my closet for other belongings, I would stumble across them and get hit with a wave of memories and nostalgia. Because of such, I would never throw them away, even if they really are simply pieces of worthless papers and notebooks.
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