Today’s lesson is two words – euphoric recall. This is a term we use in the drug and alcohol field and it simply means only remembering the good and not the bad about past things. It’s like that old saw that says “you can never go back home.”
I was talking with a friend some years ago about when we were stationed together in Spain and it was our early Christian experience. It was such a wonderful time for me discovering who Christ was and developing my relationship with Him and the brothers and sisters in Zaragoza.
I was talking about wanting to go back to that time frame and how I wanted to gain back that feeling of newness. My friend told me, more or less, “you can’t back, you can only go forward.” It’s like people who are still living in the past, dreaming of the days when their team won championships or missing a loved one who has been gone many years (I still expect for my phone to ring and hear my dad’s voice).
We often hear more and more people talking about the “good old days”. Yes there were good times and probably great times, but we cannot “live” there. It’s okay to visit but remember not to make your life all about that time frame or events.
That doesn’t mean we relegate those memories or events to the trash can. They are still our memories. But remember things weren’t perfect – just our memory of them. Treasure them, but don’t treat them as end all.
Every day is a new adventure and there are things in this world that will amaze you about yourself, your family and friends. Look forward to making new memories in this world. Start a diary (if you already haven’t) and just write down your impressions of the day or event.
Why? There will be times when you are blue or just feeling despondent and just like the song from the “Sound of Music”, “My Favorite Things” – “When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I’m feeling sad, I only remember my favorite things and then I don’t feel so bad!”
Yes, reading those stories you’ve written, looking at photos or movies and listening to your family reminisce about things will cause euphoric recall and your bummer feelings will pass!
Now let me tell you one other way of pulling yourself out of a deep blue funk (if you’re not familiar with that term ask someone from the 60’s generation). Put on your favorite music! I know that sounds strange but in this thing please trust me, a musician!
As a minister I have found that putting on worship music for at least 20 minutes will do one of two things; you either turn off the music and stay in your funk (not a good move) or your attitude changes and you begin to look at life with a brighter outlook. Of course that doesn’t mean that the issues will go away, but your ability to handle and deal with them will be different because of your demeanor.
So, then, I hope this wasn’t boring but maybe give you some insight into the human psyche! Hang in and hang on – you have a life time of new experiences coming your way.
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