A Moment of Reflection

【1】We know we’re prone to forgetting. Some of us resort to writing diaries as an antidote to forgetfulness， recording every interesting moment as well as everyday trifles， so that they can go back later and replay scenes from bygone days. But diary writing requires an unusual level of commitment. Others seem blessed with an uncanny ability to recount the most intricate details of past events despite the passage of years， leaving us amazed. What about most of us？ I used to keep a diary. At first I wrote entries daily， then every other day， and then at long intervals before I threw in the towel and consigned my diary to the innermost corner of one of my desk drawers. The absence of a functioning mnemonic renders many past experiences irretrievable. The other day， a couple of my old buddies and I struggled to recall when and where we had first met—to no avail.

【2】Loss of information stored in our minds is in fact not uncommon.

【3】Our lives contain a myriad of fragments—disjoined experiences， one having little or no connection with the other. The world is a kaleidoscope， and it’s hard to remember everything. We thought we had etched in our minds the raging ocean waves that left us in awe before they were drowned out by a roaring river， which was in turn eclipsed by a bustling crowd in the distance—a more recent sight. Things happen continuously. A new hot topic moves to center stage every now and then after edging out what has been there. New fads pop up at an exponential pace， each promising greater excitement. As a result， new memories keep overwriting the old. Forgetting happens quietly， subtly， and un-noticed.

【4】More often， however， life goes on in cycles. An ancient saying claims that flowers bloom in a similar fashion year after year. Indeed， it’s often not easy to spot any differences between this year’s flowers and last year’s with practically identical pedals and leaves. A telling example is the osmanthus. While their flowers come and go， the similarity between flowers of different seasons is striking. If a branch keeps its old posture and continues to face away from the wind， even the scars on its fruits look similar. Then how can we tell in which year or month the tree was planted？ Recurring patterns also accompany us on our life’s journey. We’re no stranger to feelings of déjà vu. Nor are we inclined to shy away from bringing up an old topic， cracking an old puzzle， or listening to an old story.

【5】If we see everything in the world as simply repeating itself， we’re no doubt being too negative. On the other hand， we’re overestimating our sense of fulfilment if we think a new sun rises every morning. As we move through light and shadows， day in and day out， we can do ourselves a favor by pausing at a certain point， putting a mark there that divides our journey into distinguishable segments， reflecting on what we’ve been through and looking ahead to the future. A solemn moment of reflection in the midst of all the noise and trivialities allows us to free ourselves from a tangled web of doubt and confusion. A moment like this can be a trigger of awakening， a time to find our true selves.

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