Store Your Happy Memories Here:

[Croix]

Dear All~

What this place is for:
This thread is a tool, a resource, and also I guess a dash of entertainment.

I’ve found that when life is grim that sometimes thoughts of past happiness can create a chink of light in the grey overwhelming press of down. They can help occupy the mind with lighter reflections.

With that in view I invite people to set down a brief passage describing some happy event they look back to with fondness and peace.

They - and others too - can then return to it when they feel the need to glean a little warmth.

It is not a place for gloomy or dire tales, those can go elsewhere.

What to do:
Just set out, as simply as you like, your recollection of some past experience that means something good to you, something you enjoyed, something from safe times.

It can be, like my story below, anything – from an account of visiting grandparents to simply cooking and eating a melted-cheese sandwich in a favorite kitchen – you get to choose.

How to do it:
Write. Write enough so someone else can feel the mood, know what happened, find the goodness. (stop at 2,500 characters please!)

Grammar, syntax, spelling, punctuation are not compulsory, just write as you can – the only important thing is the content - not literary merit. Short or long - it does not matter.


I hope you enjoy, contribute and find a little distraction here when you need it.

Croix

[Croix]

Dear Mara56~

I loved that story, thank you. It pointed out to me we have somewhere to go in our minds to gain a moment's respite, you have htat dappled walk

You can find me talking of mine here:

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/permalink/qrCDc3HzvGGEbv8AAOnT_A

Croix

[monkey_magic]

A happy memory,

Being on the dancefloor and podium in clubs dancing to the music getting that adrenaline going.

There were ppl everywhere, bright lights, groups dancing together, guys trying to pick up girls, ppl drinking, ppl pashing.

I had so much energy and endurance and lasted a long time. I just wanted to dance dance dance. I was secretly doing it to maintain/ lose weight as well.

We would be there as friends and make other friends throughout the night.

The nights were pumping and you could hear muffled chatter throughout the loud music. It was really hard to hear ppl talking.

It was a lot of fun.

[Doolhof]

I was able to create a new happy memory recently.

I drove to a friends place with my own fold up chair, thermos and cup. We sat outside had a cuppa together and a chat before I went to work.

We were able to make the new requirements work and had a lovely hour together.

[Croix]

Dear MM~

I can just imagine you dancing away in that noisy club, wearng out dance-partners:) A fun time to look back on. I think some of that girl is still inside you. I'm sure many will remember similar scenes with fondness.

Croix

[Croix]

Dear Mrs Dools~

You manage to remember contentment and a measure of release even when going though very bad times. Your story here is a simple one, going for a cuppa with a freind on the way to work. It gives an aura of togetherness and a simple pleasure, tea. A halt from the difficulties of life for a moment.

I too remember cups of tea, but in very different circumstances. As a small boy I was taken round by my Welsh grandmother to one of my many "aunties". I think I had more "aunties" per square mile than anyone I've ever known.

We would always sit in the kitchen amongst the polished brass and copper drinking tea poured from a tea-pot covered by a knitted cosy. They talked Welsh, I didn't, or at least not well enough to understand. Every now and again the musical flow of the language stopped. In the silence that followed all heads would turn towards me, regard me appraisingly, then turn back and talk resumed.

I never knew why.

Croix

[Doolhof]

Hi Croix,

Maybe all those ladies were admiring you and thinking what a lovely boy or young man you were.

One of my Aunt's would use lovely tea cups and decorative plates. I don't really remember her kitchen much. I do remember that if there were 5 of us present, there would be 5 little pieces of cake and 5 of each different biscuit or slice.

You were allowed to have one of each, but not two of anything. Battering and swapping was not allowed either.

They had a telescope on the front verandah and I used to be intrigued looking through that.

Thanks for this thread Croix and for the reminder there are happy memories to recall.

Cheers all from Dools

[Mara56]

That is a beautiful memory Croix. I can just imagine being there.

It’s so important to have these peaceful memories to focus on when our minds turbulent.

Cheers

Mara

[Mara56]

Hi Croix,

Thank you for your link. I enjoyed reading about your dappled place.

Take care

Mara

[Croix]

Dear Mrs Dools~

You are welcome, it helps me too.

They too had lovely tea-cups and saucers, but the (large) teapot was always brown . I only rated a mug on most occasions (you never can be too careful of nephews). All aunties seemed to have the same kitchen, brass-work fender around the fire, copper kettles and fry pans hanging, Stafforshire china dogs on top of the dresser. Patterned oilcloth on the table.

I'm not sure I agree with your assessment of their thoughts, more likely they were gossiping and saying something scurrilous, then stopped and wondered how much I'd understood.

My normal expression of dull incomprehension must have reassured them.

Mara~ I'm glad, a retreat can be really necessary at times.

Croix

[Doolhof]

Hi Croix and All,

It would be interesting to know what they were saying!

Decades ago I stayed with a friend in The Netherlands. She spoke reasonable English and I spoke no Dutch.

We went to lunch at a family members home. At the end of the meal I was given an orange. I ate it as I normally do, I peeled it and ate all the segments, politely removing the pips.

All present looked very concerned and a quick conversation was happening in Dutch. I asked my friend what was going on. She told me they all thought I must still be starving as I had eaten the whole orange. Apparently they just sucked the juice out of the segments and left the flesh part.

They had not started their oranges as they were all watching me.

They had been discussing what else they could feed me. I was already bursting at the seams!

A friend at school used to eat the orange peel, now that would have really had them falling off their seats!

Cheers all from Dools