Memory Gaps

Memories have a funny way of playing themselves out in our minds.  Overtime myths become hard facts, imaginations reality, and painful experiences less so.  It’s as if our minds are trying to make everything smooth, peaceful, and wonderful no matter what the true reality was or is.  The “good” memories mask the real truth.  Everything is better than it was!  The golden age of television wasn’t that good or different than any age which followed.  The design era, deco, fifties, or part of the early sixties, had more than its fair share of turkeys.  Even the glory ages of our youth had more than its fair share of pain, trauma, and drudgery. 
 
The myths of the past and present extend from the simply to the profound.  Our views of Divinity often include a sense of all knowing, powerful, and universal.  Included or implied is a sense of fairness and access by one and all without conditions.  When we imagine the courtroom we see “God enters the courtroom.  He takes his place at the bench to judge his people.” (Isaiah 3.13)  What follows is not consistent with being fair.  Obviously everyone “wins” even if they don’t want to.  Myths abound!
 
From these observations come two lessons I find helpful today.
 
First, treasure all that is good in the present.  By enjoying, reveling, and celebrating the good things in our lives we help create more “space” in our memory banks for what is real. 
 
Second, explore and find the “truth” in what is occurring in the present.  Myths may seem helpful but an unconditionally accepting mercy filled loving God is even better.  Imagine a world where the sense of God in the judgment seat fills us with awe and dread which is only fully understood in the fact that Divinity is also our proactive advocate.  God anticipates our position and puts a plan in motion long before we needed it to deal with the reality.
 
The outcome of taking both lessons to heart comes in truth based thanksgiving.  Nothing we currently hold is lost.  Welcome to reality.