Listening Can Be A Gift Or Help You Find One!

 "Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. The friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward. When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand. ~Karl Menninger

Does this happen to you?  You have a convo with a friend or loved one and a  memory  is brought up. Remember when...  You listen to them and take note of a key word. Then this word keeps appearing in odd ways, books, TV and people say this word to you. The subconscious takes over and now this focus is heightened. You are more aware.  My Mom started talking about Russian Nesting Dolls. She bought one years ago and gave it away. She wished she had kept it. Do you give away stuff you like?  I know I do this a lot.

My Mom has a remarkable memory. I know I could say, for her age, but I won't. Her memory is remarkable for any age. She shocks her grandchildren with her memory.  I saw awhile ago a segment on 60 minutes about people, with extraordinary recall.  I found one of them had written a book. I bought it for her for Christmas. I received it today and I randomly opened it up. The page said, this:

"It's as though I have all of my prior selves still inside me, the self I was on every day of my life, like her or not, nested as in a Russian doll-inside today's Jill are complete replicas of yesterday's Jill and the Jills for all the days stretching so far back in time.  The book is "The Woman Who Can't Forget"~
Jill Price with Bart Davis.  It is the extraordinary story of living with the most remarkable memory known to science. It is called Superior Autobiographical Memory.

My Mom is not in this league, but she is still remarkable, her vivid details and the way she retrieves info. I call her and tease "Time to open the vault".  She accuses me of testing her too much, but I don't really need to.  I too have this and so does my son. Sometimes it feels like a gift, other times a curse.  The details of the past are so vivid.

The days I remember are driven by passion or an emotional tug of war. I don't remember all the days of my life, like the author. My memory does get me in trouble sometimes. People don't remember or I get odd looks and I hear these words, "Why would you remember that?" they ponder.  I don't know...why, but I do.   The key word Russian Nesting dolls came up again and I knew I had to purchase these dolls, for Christmas. I knew when she read the book, she will be reminded of the dolls. I wanted vintage ones, something similar to the ones she gave away. I found this on Etsy, aren't they cute.  I reopened my Etsy shop today; if you get a chance stop by. I hope to list more items, later this week.  I would love to hear about your memory or key words that stood out and connected in unique ways for you!