Week 76 - “The business of life is the acquisition of memories. In the end that's all there is” - Charles Carson
You come in with none and leave with all of them.
When we die, the only thing we’ll have in common is our memories. Even if we all live different lives where different things matter, we’ll still all carry the collection of our experiences.
So if we know that we are ultimately the sum of our experiences, why don’t we place more value on memories? Obviously, we value them to some degree, but I feel like it’s rare to hear someone say that their life goal is to have cool memories.
Why is that? Why don’t we approach life with the end in mind?
If life is a game where the goal is to accumulate meaningful memories, wouldn’t you want the “highest score” possible?
I think so.
But how do you do that? I’ll admit, it is difficult to consider what kind of memories we want to have. How can you predict something like that?
So I say start with a simpler question. What do you want to do?
I ask that question broadly speaking because if you can figure that out, then you’re halfway to your answer about what kind of memories you want.
Maybe you want to travel the world, start a family, or even help save the rainforest. It doesn’t matter what it is, just that you know. That way, you can be intentional about your life, and have the memories you want.
Obviously, this way of thinking is pretty selfish and promotes putting your memories before anyone else’s. But is it supposed to be anyway else? With the exception of maybe your spouse or children, why would you live your life putting other people’s memories above your own? You can help others all you want, but at the end of the day, the only thing you’ll have when you die is what you remember.
And your memories aren’t just going to be your big vacations or major milestones. Most of them are going to be everyday moments that when viewed collectively, define your existence. The conversations over coffee, the late nights with friends, the small acts of kindness – those seemingly mundane experiences are just as significant in shaping your memories.
I don’t like looking at life transactionally, but if the business of life is the acquisition of memories, then maybe it’s a good idea to try and maximize your profits.
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