“Why” for memory is simple:

Do or do not

Repeat the past

“Why not”

Is far more complicated

Often, much more work

Memory

Foundation for agency

Rational choice

Identity is memory

The story

Running in the mind as “me”

Loss, a form of memory

Tender loss convinces us

Not to repeat the past

Forging an

Equally or greater

Present and future

Devastating loss

Compels forgetfulness

Risking the past repeating itself

Lie

Purposeful forgetfulness

(At least hiding from truth)

Successful lies

Dependent on memory

Unsuccessful if caught in the lie

Rationalization, either

Memory of what actually occurred, or

Memory of concoction

A third possibility:

The need to concoct from scratch, again

Covering the lie and the failure of memory

To err is human, to forgive, divine

To remember is human, to not remember is far too human

(Leaving the divine out of this for now…)

By Russell Willis

From: United States

Website: https://REWillisWrites@gmail.com

Instagram: russell.willis.1217

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