Memory is a strange thing!

16 years ago

Memory is a strange thing. Why do we remember, how do we remember, why canÂt we rememberÂit is an amazing, really.

For years I have been trying to remember the name of a book I read as a child. It involved a little girl named Marin who had a toy owl, it was Swedish (I think Â I only remembered a vague Scandinavian-type feel) and it had elements that I would now describe as magical realism. I could remember nothing of the plot, only something about a model ship (a frigate) hanging from a ceiling, a boat crossing. Just like bits of a dream, but nothing solid. I have tried to locate this book using the internet. There have been several excellent sites over the years, including RP, that are very useful in finding books on even less information. But I never was successful.

Just a little while ago I woke up. It was 3 AM. I turned on the light and reached for my book, The Girl Who Kicked The HornetÂs Nest, Stieg LarssonÂs third and last bestseller. I have read and enjoyed the first two. I was reading and my eyes hit the word "ore." Into my head popped the words, MarenÂs Little Owl. From there it was a matter of turning on the computer, a few clicks, and the book is on its way to me.

This raises two questions in my mind. One, the title is very simple and obvious. I had spelled Maren wrong but still I am surprised that my previous searches had not found anything. Two, apparently this book was made into a film at least fifty years ago, and the child star of that film went on to become famous, so I am surprised that someone somewhere hadnÂt heard of it. I remembered the name and I remembered the owl, but I couldnÂt place the two together into the simple title.

Actually, I guess I have three questions, the third being, why did the title just appear so suddenly in my mind upon seeing the Swedish word for currency? I have seen it before now, many times. This was a strange experience for me, so sudden and so clearly did the title appear in my mind that I felt I could touch it. I just turned 51 yesterday, did that have something to do with it? Maybe the universe has given me back some brain cells!

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Comments (13)

yoyobon_gw
16 years ago
I believe that once you set your intention upon solving a problem, it isn't necessary to ponder it constantly.
Your subconscious begins the search for that solution and frequently you will become aware of the answer when you are most relaxed and have no distractions ( i.e. when awaking).

You present the problem and let the universe work out the details !

All it seems to take is a willingness to let it go and then be alert when an answer or solution surfaces.
Thus the expressions " to sleep on it".

There's more to this wonderful life than we can imagine.....
sheriz6
16 years ago
Exactly what Yoyobon said :) In my family we call it "the subconscious spin cycle." You think about your questions right before going to sleep and quite often a solution presents itself in the morning.

I've found this works better for things like locating misplaced items or sorting out scheduling/transportation issues vs. remembering book titles or names, but it does work.
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I think there are certain things that for some reason are just easier to remember. Every one I know is having the same problem: we remember faces, but not names. That follows the concept of a picture is worth a thousand words, i.e. a Face is a picture; a Name can be a word or a number of words. I think that is considered pretty normal. I know I often am told something that doesn't seem very interesting, but then I forget who it was or why it was told to me. And if I am telling someone something, I tend to chase rabbits and sometimes forget what it was I was going to tell. Memory is a strange thing. Just this past TDay, my son was home and he and his DGS were shooting pool at his DD's. I mentioned to my DS something about the pool table he had when he was a teen ager. He didn't even remember ever having one. I remember every detail of the purchase and the arrangements to have it delivered and set up in the basement on Christmas Eve. Oh, wait. What was the question? Sue
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veronicae
16 years ago
I've gone to sleep several times trying to figure out how to solve a quilting problem, often after puzzling on it for several hours...and my first thought in the morning is the solution.
woodnymph2_gw
16 years ago
I've had similar experiences all my life. I've even found that often the solution will come to me in a dream, during the night.
ccrdmrbks
16 years ago
Sometime in middle elementary school I saw an "educational cartoon" illustrating how the brain works-and behind a door marked "Memories" was a vast room full of filing cabinets and a little creature of indeterminate gender running from drawer to drawer filling orders: filing and retrieving memories behind a pair of closed eyes as the cartoon person slept. The little creature wore a sweater with SC on the front-for subconscious. Simplified to the point of inaccuracy as this may be, I like to think of my little SC scurrying around while I sleep, pulling up the files I have asked for before nodding off and reorganizing things I used throughout the day-now if I could only get her to work in my office.
J C
Original Author
16 years ago
Well, I wish my memory in this case hadn't taken 15 years to kick in - I imagine my memory room ala CC is very dustry and disorganized! And such a simple, obvious answer. At least there is nothing else of this sort I have been trying to remember, so maybe my little memory elves can get back to making things tidy!
veer
16 years ago
siobhan, I can't claim to have ever solved a problem while sleeping, although I ofter find I have a fleeting image of last night's dream 'behind my eyes' as I turn off the light.
Re hunting for the title of a book . . . many many years ago, as a child at school we had a 'class reader' and for some reason the story was never finished before the end of the school year so I never knew 'what happened next'. I couldn't quite remember the correct title of the book but, thanks to Martin here at RP, I eventually found both title and author and managed to get a second-hand copy. When reading it I found I remembered enough of the story to know when/where my 'cut-off' point came (ie the last chapter we had read at school). I probably couldn't tell you what I had for breakfast yesterday but that the old grey cells keep this information since 1955 . . .!
Btw the book was The Little Grey Goose of Kilneven by Patricia Lynch, a strange mixture of Irish fairy tale and 'modern' rural life.
carolyn_ky
16 years ago
One example that I have is an end-of-term paper assignment with no specific topic except that it should deal with something we had covered during the semester. I had been mulling over in my mind what to write about while driving home from work and during the evening at home. The next morning while going downstairs to leave for work, between one stairstep and the next, I had a perfect solution and thought, "THAT'S what I'll write on." I agree; it's strange.
lauramarie_gardener
16 years ago
For the past year I've been trying to remember the title, or author, of a brilliant suspense novel I read around 2005. And it still hasn't come to me. Have even looked in my journals for the years since then -- can't find it in my "books read this year" list. It's by an English woman, is in trade paperback, and had smashing rave reviews. It takes place in the 17 or 1800s mainly in England. Other parts of the story are in Italy and the Netherlands. The main character is a very beautiful, very brilliant, very conniving woman, totally w/out remorse or conscience. It's a story as ugly as sin -- that's why I didn't keep it (knew I wouldn't want to re-read it) -- but riveting reading. I'm hoping the writer will do another book (maybe more appealing this time!) although, just as thrilling and scrumptiously written!

Happy Birthday, Siobhan
Chris_in_the_Valley
16 years ago
Happy Birthday, Siobhan, and many happy returns of the day.
J C
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you for the birthday wishes; this year I had a nicer birthday than I have for some time. I have recently moved to a lovely area of Maine, and some friends from the Boston area came up to visit. Despite thunderstorms and a leaky roof we had a great time. Maybe it was the relaxation and diversion that helped the title return to my consciousness!
vickitg
16 years ago
Glad you had a happy birthday, Siobhan. Here's to many more!
yoyobon_gw
16 years ago
Happy day to all the women here !

ONE FLAW IN WOMEN

Women have strengths that amaze men.....

They bear hardships and they carry burdens,

But they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream.

They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy

And laugh when they are nervous.

They fight for what they believe in..

They stand up to injustice.

They don ' t take "no" for an answer

When they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel

And cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about

A birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member,

Yet they are strong when they

Think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss

Can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

They ' ll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you

To show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what

Makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.

They have compassion and ideas.

They give moral support to their

Family and friends.

Women have vital things to say

And everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,

IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

Memory is a strange thing!

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