A Good Memory or a Bad Memory? You Get to Choose

Our two cats are getting stir crazy. The colder weather here in Wisconsin is keeping them inside so they have pent-up energy. That means instead of sleeping in a chair, they’re getting into trouble, knocking things off of the dresser, and being where they’re not supposed to be. So I decided to wiggle a string for them like I did when they were kittens. They were actually jumping and trying to catch it! It brought back many fun memories.

My mind went back to times when I would sit on the floor with one of the kittens. They would attack me as I moved my hands or their toys. Then they would jump straight in the air when I attacked back. I love little kittens! They’re so playful, fuzzy, and cute.

One time, we had two little kittens at the same time, Appollo and Athena. Watching them play together was a real hoot! They did everything together from eating, sleeping, and even using the litter box. They would run down to the garden with me and play among the plants and chase bugs. If they lost track of where I was, one of them would meow plaintively until I called to them so they could find me.

I’m still sitting in my office typing on my computer and it’s still cold outside. But there’s a warm smile on my face as my mind enjoys remembering these simple but fun times.

I could have chosen a different path for my memories with the cats. I could have been annoyed and thought of the curtains they’ve destroyed or the times they’ve woke me up in the middle of the night. Or I could have remembered the heartbreak of losing a past pet.

As you know, our survival instinct can easily lead us to a negative memory where we relive past stress and hurts. But we have the power to override this instinct and choose to relive past joy and fun instead.

What happy memories can you choose to relive right now?