While visiting my parents for Christmas last weekend, my mom told me that she had found an old bank I used as a child and teenager. She said that she tried opening it, but couldn’t get past the combination lock. I immediately told her what the combination was, even though I haven’t seen or used that bank in perhaps 35 years.
It really is fascinating what the mind remembers! I may well forget to pick up something at the store my wife told me to get only minutes before, yet I’ll pull out of the memory bank a lock combination I haven’t needed since the 1970s.
By the way, we opened the bank and found some bills and coins that have been tucked safely away all that time – nothing terribly valuable, but a fun find this many years removed. I brought the bank back to Louisville with me and it will be a treasured reminder of the many years it sat on a bookshelf in my bedroom at the farm.
Like seeing this old bank, holidays bring back lots of memories – for me, mostly sweet memories of times gone by, experiences with family and friends – recollections that bring a smile to my face and sometimes a touch of sadness. More memories came rushing back today when I looked up online the home that used to belong to one set of my grandparents just down the street from where we lived before my parents bought their farm. I noticed yesterday that the house was for sale, and the 20+ photos online in the listing brought a flood of memories back of good, good times in that place.
Of course, there are many for whom holidays bring more difficult memories, especially for those experiencing the first major holidays without a loved one who has recently passed away. My heart goes out to all for whom this is a difficult or bittersweet time.
Perhaps it’s dependent on one’s general outlook on life, or maybe it’s what happens to most people over time, but it sure seems that as time passes, more good memories surface to crowd out the sad ones. I won’t try to psychoanalyze that fact; I’ll just be grateful for it.
I can’t begin to understand how the brain works, but every now and then it fascinates me. In the past 24 hours, it has blessed me with many reminders of wonderful days and people and experiences. It even spat out a lock combination from deep recesses not visited for decades.
The human mind is amazing. How much more so must its Creator be?
I attended the funeral today for a wonderful, sweet, giving, godly, 94-year-old woman from my church. Her equally kind and faithful husband preceded her in death several years ago. I greatly admire their whole family – their closeness, example, faith, and their love for each other.
I saw a few related communications this week on various media that I want to pass along. They triggered a fun memory from a Bob Newhart TV scene that seems appropriate to throw into a post on the topic. I’ll end on a deadly serious note.
Many of you saw in the news or spreading through social media this past week the touching story of 96-year-old Fred Stobaugh and the song lyrics he wrote for a contest in memory of Lorraine, his recently deceased wife of 72 years. The inspiring story came as a result of a song contest held by 
Imagine you’ve been hurt by someone. Now imagine that person says, “I’m sorry.” What happens? Does everything jump back to the way it was before you were hurt? No. Damage is done, and at best it takes time to forgive and move on. You may never forget.
Next Practices 