A Past to Remember...
While we are often told that our past should not define who we are in the present, I believe there are moments in our history that deserve to be remembered and kept alive. These moments remind us of the people, experiences, and memories that shaped us into who we are today.
I was blessed to grow up with all four of my grandparents and to hear so many stories about their lives. Although I can’t remember every story they shared, each of them remains a part of who I am. Their lives shaped my parents, and in turn, they helped shape me.
I often think of my grandpa when I reach for the pair of work gloves in my trunk that once belonged to him. Now, after changing my last name, we even share the same initials: H. Davidson. It is such a small thing, but it makes me feel connected to him in a way that words can’t quite describe.
I also have a picture of my Oma and Opa on their wedding day, framed in my room. I was honoured to receive some of my Oma’s jewellery, which I wear almost every day. Among those pieces is a locket containing a picture of her and my Opa—a small reminder of their love that I can carry with me wherever I go.
Though three of my grandparents have passed, I am grateful for the many good memories they left behind. That is not to say that every memory is a happy one. Like every family, there is history that we sometimes struggle with, and there are moments that are difficult to reconcile. But, in my mind, the good memories far outweigh the painful ones. Those are the memories I choose to hold close.
And then there is my grandma, who I am fortunate enough to still have here. I still get to hear her stories. I still get to spend time with her. Most importantly, I still have the opportunity to continue learning who she is—not simply as my grandmother, but as a person with a lifetime of experiences, lessons, joys, and struggles.
Since moving back in with my parents and being literally five doors down from her, it has been wonderful to reconnect after years apart. I have been able to make up for some of the lost time, hear stories I may not have otherwise heard, and create new memories that I know I will treasure.
She continues to shape me into the person I am meant to become. And one day, these moments we are creating together will themselves become part of the past.
That is why I believe our past matters.
Not because we should allow it to define us, but because it reminds us where we came from, who helped shape us, and what is worth carrying forward. Some memories will fade, and some stories will eventually become ours to tell. But the moments we choose to remember—the love, the lessons, the people, and even the hardships—can continue to live on through us.
These moments will one day become the past, but they will be part of the past that is always worth looking back to.