Oh, you have no idea….living with ptsd, I wish I could erase a lot more than just one memory. Granted, that is what got me in trouble in the first place, trying to run from the past, so I probably wouldn’t make the choice.
???:
Everyone has had terrible times—the memories of the painful times they hate the most—that they want to obliterate from the memories forever, to never again feel the burning effect of the harsh recollection. I too share these hurtful memories, but truth be told, I would never give any of them up. Those painful remembrances are part of the path of growing up; they build you up to be strong against the harsh world and people.
Some of my past experiences have haunted me regularly, but they’re also helpful reminders—reminders to never make the same mistake or to help those who are almost to make the same mistake you had.
You should never dwell on the past, because it is gone, and you can stand right where you are and go nowhere, or boldly enter a future you can create, despite your past.
Be thankful for your memories—weather be good or bad— and look ahead. Only look behind you to remember happier times, never for the sad times.
Live. Breathe. Remember. Eat a cookie. Be happy.
sasha:
-I really like what the person above me said, I agree. I don’t think i’d erase any of my memories no matter how painful some are to think about, they’ve gotten me where I am today. I would be a different person if i didn’t have these memories to look back on and see how much i’ve grown from them and how much i’ve learned.
Danielle:
None. They’ve made me who I am today, and I’m happy with that.
Plus I found by aging, I am already peeling off many memories I kept, so why would I do the extra efforts? 😉
I am naturally letting things go and try to live the moment I right have ^^
Kat:
I would never change anything in my past because i believe it has made me who I am today even if thats not an amazing person its still me but if I could live without some memories that would be awesome. I would choose when I was raped by my babysitter in kindergarden. Or a bunch of other ones but mainly that one.
Rachel:
Non. All of my memories, good and bad, made me who I am and I’m happy with that.
Chris:
If I “had” to, as the question posits, then I would erase something insignificant like the memory of mowing the lawn or a less-than-stellar dinner or something like that.
LAX:
One particularly nasty fight with my little brother when we were kids. He’s over it, but my behaviour still bugs me.
Richard:
The last movie I watched. It was horrible!
nicole:
The night I graduated from High School. I went to a party and no one believes me on what actually happened. They believe everyone else.
Brad:
The memory that I’m worthless:
Nick Vujicic, who was born without arms or legs –
I’d erase the monster in my dreams. He used to be a boy, annoying and a bit cruel but just a person. Now he’s a monster in my dreams that I wish I’d love to erase. He serves no purpose anymore.
midnight poet:
none….because I can reflect on them and learn from mistakes made.
Firefly:
The sad days where I’ve felt like it’s the end. Because it’s not the end as I haven’t lived to 101 🙂
charlien:
the guilt of turning my back from someone that loved me so much.. the memories of the pain that i caused..
M:
People say I wouldn’t, they might be right. Love is a series of the good/bad/beautiful and ugly. First real big heart breaks are that too. Maybe I wouldn’t, maybe I shouldn’t, and really, maybe I couldn’t, but, I’d erase the night he and I ended. At the very least HOW we eneded. I’m so sick, and so tired, of carrying him around with me in my thoughts…
M:
i’d erase the memory of my puncuation errors. haha should’nt/could’nt/would’nt.
T.:
I read this question, and then I see all the answers defending the memories and the histories of those answering, and i can’t help but wonder if these people realize what a blessing it would be to erase that one memory, that one nagging, haunting thing in their lives that they might never even think of, but that creeps up on them in their sleep, haunting their dreams and poisoning their minds, if only for a fleeting instant. Unless that phenomenon is not as universal as i believe.
There is one memory – or rather, a long string of tightly connected memories – that I would erase in a heartbeat, if I could… it has destroyed my life, changed my world, and woken a monster in me that i never knew existed. It is a memory of pain and sorrow, of misunderstanding and misdoing, of suffering and regret, and chiefly of loss, heartbreak, and sadness. It reminds me of the friends I once had, and the world we built together… and the sound of it all crashing down around me. It lets me know how fragile my reality is, and how easy it is for everything I love to slip away. It keeps me awake at night, sometimes for weeks. It has put me in a bottle and on the edge of a bridge, and found me alone in my thoughts and lost to myself for days.
If memories are what make us who we are, then I don’t want to be the person that this has made me become. If we build ourselves based on our experiences, then I would rather be missing this piece. And if it’s the road of life that gets us to where we are, then I don’t want to be in this place. It would be worth sacrificing all that I have – within the carefully constructed glass castle my life has become – to go back to the way it was, to erase those days, to feel whole again, and to forget the words, the sounds, the moves, the emotions, and the consequences of everything we did.
I cannot say aloud what it was that did this to me, but i know it in my mind and in my heart – these are the things I would erase.
Grac(ie):
Prom. The whole period of time including the week before and the three days after.
abbey:
I agree that I don’t want to erase anything, because everything has made me the person I am today and I don’t want to change that.
But if I had to, I would erase one night during which I did some really stupid things that aren’t like me at all, and caused me to lose a friend.
Or I would erase all my memories of him, my first real love, because I know that they’ll haunt me for the rest of my life.
kp:
wow, I would erase so many. But I wish I could erase my memory of him, the lying cheating idiot who I fell for and settled for because I didn’t know my worth. I made mistakes, and it has been costing me my sanity. I wish I could erase every single piece of his existence from my memory, so that I wouldn’t even have to share the fact that I ever fell for somebody who never even cared about me. I met a guy last year whom I am in love with, but he can’t even think of marrying me because of how much my past hurts him. That is the worst feeling in the world.
kp:
@T I completely agree with what you are saying. I miss the innocence and the simplicity of worlds past. Memories ruin us as human beings. We hold on to things that are long gone or never even existed. My mistakes/memories of things I did years ago still haunt me to this day.
nala:
Vsssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhl7jano5
vcm:
After watching “eternal sunshine of the spotless mind,” no matter how bad or heart-breaking or traumatic the memory, i would not want to let it go.
DeeDee:
If I could erase one memory, it would be my wedding day. dumbest thing I ever did and biggest waste of money. at least I got a beautiful daughter out of the deal <3
rhonette:
my first (and only) kiss.
James:
The memory of my father asking me if i liked his new girlfriend. if i had been honest, i might not have a stepmom right now. i’d like to forget that i lied.
Julia:
Awkward embarressing moments where I made a fool of myself. It kind of makes me feel out of place and worthless. Also, most of the seventh grade. The suffering was the worst, but I’d rather forget the times that I wasted yelling at myself in the mirror and looking picture after picture of models on the internet.
Riss:
I wish I could erase my fathers suicide from my memory. Maybe then I would be in a better place now.
Jessica:
Nothing jumps to mind. Which is actually something I’m really grateful for. I suppose… I don’t know. Something insignificant that I’m not going to remember anyways.. like a random meal or something. Honestly, I kind of wish I remembered things in more detail..
Alice:
the night i lost him.
Sara:
1st february 2010
Rachael:
As much as i would love to say a certain memory, I wouldn’t erase a single one of them. Each and every memory makes me who I am today. Yes, some suck more than others but I am learning from them and will always be grateful for the reminders that they present to myself to learn from my mistakes.
Shae:
I thought I knew exactly what memory (or memories) I would erase. They’re the painful ones that I hide really deep under my skin. But then I considered myself without them, and without the lessons that I learned from those memories, and from that experience. I don’t think I’d be the same person, so I guess I’ll have to keep all of them.
Sarah:
The one memory he engraved in my head that will stay there for the rest of my life. He ruined one relationship, he’s not ruining another one.
Korilyn:
Like Shae, I considered myself without the memories I originally thought I wanted to erase, and realized I wouldn’t be the same person. In fact, without those memories I would not have had the courage to follow through with something and end up talking to the most awesome guy in the world, so if I had to erase a memory, I would erase one of the many conversations with my ex, because he repeated himself all the time and memories of him repeating the same old stories are pretty useless.
Copper:
All of the lies he put me through and how much he used me. But then again, I did learn a lot about my self from that experience.
Jon:
Agreed, rhonette.
My only one was with someone who wasn’t significant to me at all.
Alex:
None, because every experience I have (bad or good) helps me shape into the person I currently am and will be in the future. Experiences make us all learn about ourselves, others, and life. To have even one erased would be a waste.
Oh, you have no idea….living with ptsd, I wish I could erase a lot more than just one memory. Granted, that is what got me in trouble in the first place, trying to run from the past, so I probably wouldn’t make the choice.
Everyone has had terrible times—the memories of the painful times they hate the most—that they want to obliterate from the memories forever, to never again feel the burning effect of the harsh recollection. I too share these hurtful memories, but truth be told, I would never give any of them up. Those painful remembrances are part of the path of growing up; they build you up to be strong against the harsh world and people.
Some of my past experiences have haunted me regularly, but they’re also helpful reminders—reminders to never make the same mistake or to help those who are almost to make the same mistake you had.
You should never dwell on the past, because it is gone, and you can stand right where you are and go nowhere, or boldly enter a future you can create, despite your past.
Be thankful for your memories—weather be good or bad— and look ahead. Only look behind you to remember happier times, never for the sad times.
Live. Breathe. Remember. Eat a cookie. Be happy.
-I really like what the person above me said, I agree. I don’t think i’d erase any of my memories no matter how painful some are to think about, they’ve gotten me where I am today. I would be a different person if i didn’t have these memories to look back on and see how much i’ve grown from them and how much i’ve learned.
None. They’ve made me who I am today, and I’m happy with that.
Nothing particular.
Plus I found by aging, I am already peeling off many memories I kept, so why would I do the extra efforts? 😉
I am naturally letting things go and try to live the moment I right have ^^
I would never change anything in my past because i believe it has made me who I am today even if thats not an amazing person its still me but if I could live without some memories that would be awesome. I would choose when I was raped by my babysitter in kindergarden. Or a bunch of other ones but mainly that one.
Non. All of my memories, good and bad, made me who I am and I’m happy with that.
If I “had” to, as the question posits, then I would erase something insignificant like the memory of mowing the lawn or a less-than-stellar dinner or something like that.
One particularly nasty fight with my little brother when we were kids. He’s over it, but my behaviour still bugs me.
The last movie I watched. It was horrible!
The night I graduated from High School. I went to a party and no one believes me on what actually happened. They believe everyone else.
The memory that I’m worthless:
Nick Vujicic, who was born without arms or legs –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc4HGQHgeFE&feature=related
International weekly journal of science: managing “fear Memories”
http://www.nature.com/nature/videoarchive/memory/index.html
Enjoy, hope this helps someone – its helping me. Brad
I don’t want to erase anything. I have been fighting to get parts of my memory back. I cherish those I have.
All of my memories but none of my knowledge; life would seem refreshing that way.
memories of solitude/loneliness,
I wouldn’t but probably one’s where I looked like an idiot and was mortified.
I’d erase the monster in my dreams. He used to be a boy, annoying and a bit cruel but just a person. Now he’s a monster in my dreams that I wish I’d love to erase. He serves no purpose anymore.
none….because I can reflect on them and learn from mistakes made.
The sad days where I’ve felt like it’s the end. Because it’s not the end as I haven’t lived to 101 🙂
the guilt of turning my back from someone that loved me so much.. the memories of the pain that i caused..
People say I wouldn’t, they might be right. Love is a series of the good/bad/beautiful and ugly. First real big heart breaks are that too. Maybe I wouldn’t, maybe I shouldn’t, and really, maybe I couldn’t, but, I’d erase the night he and I ended. At the very least HOW we eneded. I’m so sick, and so tired, of carrying him around with me in my thoughts…
i’d erase the memory of my puncuation errors. haha should’nt/could’nt/would’nt.
I read this question, and then I see all the answers defending the memories and the histories of those answering, and i can’t help but wonder if these people realize what a blessing it would be to erase that one memory, that one nagging, haunting thing in their lives that they might never even think of, but that creeps up on them in their sleep, haunting their dreams and poisoning their minds, if only for a fleeting instant. Unless that phenomenon is not as universal as i believe.
There is one memory – or rather, a long string of tightly connected memories – that I would erase in a heartbeat, if I could… it has destroyed my life, changed my world, and woken a monster in me that i never knew existed. It is a memory of pain and sorrow, of misunderstanding and misdoing, of suffering and regret, and chiefly of loss, heartbreak, and sadness. It reminds me of the friends I once had, and the world we built together… and the sound of it all crashing down around me. It lets me know how fragile my reality is, and how easy it is for everything I love to slip away. It keeps me awake at night, sometimes for weeks. It has put me in a bottle and on the edge of a bridge, and found me alone in my thoughts and lost to myself for days.
If memories are what make us who we are, then I don’t want to be the person that this has made me become. If we build ourselves based on our experiences, then I would rather be missing this piece. And if it’s the road of life that gets us to where we are, then I don’t want to be in this place. It would be worth sacrificing all that I have – within the carefully constructed glass castle my life has become – to go back to the way it was, to erase those days, to feel whole again, and to forget the words, the sounds, the moves, the emotions, and the consequences of everything we did.
I cannot say aloud what it was that did this to me, but i know it in my mind and in my heart – these are the things I would erase.
Prom. The whole period of time including the week before and the three days after.
I agree that I don’t want to erase anything, because everything has made me the person I am today and I don’t want to change that.
But if I had to, I would erase one night during which I did some really stupid things that aren’t like me at all, and caused me to lose a friend.
Or I would erase all my memories of him, my first real love, because I know that they’ll haunt me for the rest of my life.
wow, I would erase so many. But I wish I could erase my memory of him, the lying cheating idiot who I fell for and settled for because I didn’t know my worth. I made mistakes, and it has been costing me my sanity. I wish I could erase every single piece of his existence from my memory, so that I wouldn’t even have to share the fact that I ever fell for somebody who never even cared about me. I met a guy last year whom I am in love with, but he can’t even think of marrying me because of how much my past hurts him. That is the worst feeling in the world.
@T I completely agree with what you are saying. I miss the innocence and the simplicity of worlds past. Memories ruin us as human beings. We hold on to things that are long gone or never even existed. My mistakes/memories of things I did years ago still haunt me to this day.
Vsssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhl7jano5
After watching “eternal sunshine of the spotless mind,” no matter how bad or heart-breaking or traumatic the memory, i would not want to let it go.
If I could erase one memory, it would be my wedding day. dumbest thing I ever did and biggest waste of money. at least I got a beautiful daughter out of the deal <3
my first (and only) kiss.
The memory of my father asking me if i liked his new girlfriend. if i had been honest, i might not have a stepmom right now. i’d like to forget that i lied.
Awkward embarressing moments where I made a fool of myself. It kind of makes me feel out of place and worthless. Also, most of the seventh grade. The suffering was the worst, but I’d rather forget the times that I wasted yelling at myself in the mirror and looking picture after picture of models on the internet.
I wish I could erase my fathers suicide from my memory. Maybe then I would be in a better place now.
Nothing jumps to mind. Which is actually something I’m really grateful for. I suppose… I don’t know. Something insignificant that I’m not going to remember anyways.. like a random meal or something. Honestly, I kind of wish I remembered things in more detail..
the night i lost him.
1st february 2010
As much as i would love to say a certain memory, I wouldn’t erase a single one of them. Each and every memory makes me who I am today. Yes, some suck more than others but I am learning from them and will always be grateful for the reminders that they present to myself to learn from my mistakes.
I thought I knew exactly what memory (or memories) I would erase. They’re the painful ones that I hide really deep under my skin. But then I considered myself without them, and without the lessons that I learned from those memories, and from that experience. I don’t think I’d be the same person, so I guess I’ll have to keep all of them.
The one memory he engraved in my head that will stay there for the rest of my life. He ruined one relationship, he’s not ruining another one.
Like Shae, I considered myself without the memories I originally thought I wanted to erase, and realized I wouldn’t be the same person. In fact, without those memories I would not have had the courage to follow through with something and end up talking to the most awesome guy in the world, so if I had to erase a memory, I would erase one of the many conversations with my ex, because he repeated himself all the time and memories of him repeating the same old stories are pretty useless.
All of the lies he put me through and how much he used me. But then again, I did learn a lot about my self from that experience.
Agreed, rhonette.
My only one was with someone who wasn’t significant to me at all.
None, because every experience I have (bad or good) helps me shape into the person I currently am and will be in the future. Experiences make us all learn about ourselves, others, and life. To have even one erased would be a waste.