Matter of Memory

Lately, I have been noticing that my memory is not up to speed. I have been having trouble remembering the sequence of events and recent conversations. It has been a little frustrating and concerning especially since I am only 22 years old. I should be sharp as a tack! I know a few people who have excellent memory. They can recall situations with such detail and exactness. Chloe is one of those people. She remembers the smells, the sounds, the feeling, the words, and the expressions perfectly. My brother Peter is another. He never forgets a face and is known for memorizing every movie release date, all the actors, directors and producers involved, and all oscar winners and nominations of the past and present. I really admire those who remember fully. Who recall things with such precise and exact descriptions. I think it is very important.

The capabilities of the brain is a subject I have recently found interesting. Hearing facts such as, "You only use 6% of you brain." makes one wonder. My mom was recently reading about where memory is stored. You would think, where in the brain, but really its where in the body? Her resource said that memory is stored throughout the body. Our memories are experiences. We feel them, and we use all our senses to absorb them. Our nervous system is highly involved in this. Nerves run throughout the whole body sending messages, calculating experiences and relating them to the brain. This makes sense to me. Memories aren't just snap shots filed away and categorized in the brain. 

In massage school, we learned about the sympathetic nervous system, and the parasympathetic nervous system. The internal responses and reactions to one's environment. There is so much going on inside our bodies at all times. Being a massage therapist, I have experienced and witnessed what happens when a human body enters a relaxed state. When I start manipulating tissue and working through muscle and releasing tension, I am effecting the area where memories are stored. This is why some may experience emotional responses on the massage table. It is called "muscle memory".  

Memories evoke emotions. They are very powerful. And we hold them all inside of us. It's overwhelming to think about how much we absorb throughout our lives. It is interesting to think about the human body, scientifically, and to connect all that information to God. He created us. It's His design. I know that my issues with remembering things can be easily fixed. It is a matter of tapping into the right tools. Accessing more. Maybe it is also a matter of clearing out, and getting rid of some things. It starts with prayer... I know that much. 

I find it funny sometimes, that I am so interested in the human body. Looking back, recalling my younger self, I never thought I would be a massage therapist. I never had much interest in biology or anatomy. I guess I never tapped into it. Never connected it to the big picture until I got that feeling. The feeling that I am meant to do this kind of work. 

I was just struck with a memory of my first grade report card. It was overall exceptional, but in the teachers comment box, there was a concern. My teacher had expressed that I lacked pride in my work. I do remember rushing through assignments, not coloring the best I could, and being a little sloppy with handwriting. I can honestly say now that I do have pride in my work. I enjoy what I do, and I put all my efforts into it. I think the fact that massage is a service for someone else is very helpful in the sense that it forces me to give my best. I know now that I should always give my best, in everything I do because I can do it all as a service for The Big Guy. 

It is funny how memories and experiences come back to you to teach lessons. Or when you start to piece together past experiences and see the meaning behind it and how it's changed you for the better. It's part of a plan, and it only gets better. That is something I have learned from experience.

Love,
Cassie