what I remember

 There are times when we remember what we were told and times when we remember. I've found the older I get the more the two get confused. It begins with our earliest memories, we sorta remember certain things and that memory is reinforced by the stories told. Your older siblings, your parents and others telling those stories. Depending on the story, or the moral to that story, you begin to accept a different version. Normally we will accept the version that puts us in the best light. That's human nature. As the years go by there are fewer people to tell those revised stories and we are left with what we remember. In my experience I have become defensive of some of those old tales. That's the way it was! 

 Being a reflective sort, I love the old tales and stories, I naturally tend to embellish them. A good storyteller will draw you into the action. I make no claim to being a storyteller, as that is an art all in itself. We all know people that have a knack for that. I'm afraid I don't have that knack. I believe it is something you are born with, like the ability to really play an instrument. You know how most people can learn to play the guitar or piano but only a few can really play. They were born with that, think Eric Clapton or Ray Charles. You don't learn to play like that. But I'm wandering off from the topic. I was talking about what we remember, and what we were told, and how they are sometimes different things. When what we were told replaces what we remember, it may be a defense. That's my thinking. We have all made mistakes, done things we wish we could take back, and sometimes we just replace them. We replace them with an improved version, a different perspective or just plain spin. That's what we say today, spin, what used to be called tall tales. Just a smidgen of truth, a dab of fact and a lot of polish. 

 It can become uncomfortable when what we remember doesn't align with what we were told. It doesn't matter much if it's the truth or not. That's because our truth is what we believe. Even in the face of fact, in the face of reality, what we believe to be true is truth. It becomes an issue when you realize that everyone has to believe something. There has to be a standard in your life or your life isn't stable. You have to stand your ground! But we are told we should continue to grow. Growth is what? Change or a continuation? Growth is dependent upon what has come before. If you begin to question, to rewrite, to dismiss the past growth, you find yourself starting fresh. You will never finish if you just keep starting over. For that reason we need to have a standard, we need to cling to truth, our truth. 

 The denial of the past will not change the past. Whatever actions we take today will also not change the past. The past is simply that: past. The importance of the past is in what you remember, not what you have been told. Your truth is in what you remember. What others tell you are stories. They are stories because they are not told from a first person perspective. They are told from their perspective of truth. It is shocking at times how different the truth can be. I do tend to defend my truth, perhaps at times, beyond what is reasonable. I'm aware. Or is that " woke. " LOL According to the dictionary of African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) woke means social awareness. Do I think I'm socially aware? Yes of course I do. I was told to " walk in their shoes " that was how you became aware. Thing is, I may walk in your shoes, but it is on a different path. I'm probably not going to see the same thing as you. The reason we argue about the past I suppose. Then we are left with what we were told. Is it the truth? Well now, that's another discussion. Whose truth is the truth? Should we change our truth to align with your truth? The question is, what's the standard of truth? For millions of people around the world truth lies in their religious beliefs. For those having no such belief, no standard, I have no idea what their truth is based on. Perhaps it is those truths that we hold to be " self evident. " Was that the founding fathers saying " we be woke? " They certainly understood the importance of keeping government separated from the church. Why? Because our churches, all churches not just Christian, Jew, Muslim. or whatever, teach their truth. Thing is that truth is different for each church. Oh the differences are sometimes subtle, very subtle, but they exist. Churches also adjust their beliefs over time not holding to a strict standard. We are seeing evidence of that today in the Catholic church especially. The church calls it reform. What is reform? It is intended to improve something. Can you improve upon the truth? Depends really, on what you have been told. For me, it is what I remember.