As I look down at my wrist at my beautiful watch, I am reminded of my grandad. He passed away earlier this year. I bought the watch with the money he left me. I’m not sure why he loved clocks and watches so much but his house and shed was full of them and they were all perfectly set and maintained. Last week, when the clocks changed, my gran counted almost 20 dotted around which she had to change. The last clock she reset was the large one that sits in the living room which chimes every hour. When I think of the chime, I’m reminded of our Wednesday nights together. I’m reminded of huge plates of homemade macaroni and cheese, of watching Chucklevision in my school uniform, playing chinese checkers and helping him solve his crossword. I remember giggling at his frustration whenever he came across a pop culture question and he hadn’t the foggiest what actress played Peggy Mitchell in Eastenders, as he hated soaps with a passion.
It took me a long time to look at my watch without missing him terribly. When I looked at it, I saw him in his hospital bed and thought about that surreal moment when my dad knocked at the door. As soon as I opened it I knew he was gone… without him saying a single word. The Art of Making Memories by Meik Wiking looks at many ways to create and hold on to happy memories. The chapter about allowing yourself to harness the power nostalgia to retrieve happy memories resonated with me most and for this, I am very thankful because I can look at my watch and smile.
Using extensive research conducted by the Happiness Research Institute, Meik Wiking, also explores practical ways to hold on to happy memories such as creating unique memory triggers, actively seeking out new experiences, collecting mementoes, renaming destinations and even using an ’emotional highlighter pen’. His findings are absolutely fascinating and are explained through diary entries, case studies, photos, anecdotes and research findings which are scattered throughout.
The Art of Making Memories is a beautiful book, that instantly makes me want to curl up with a blanket, scatter candles everywhere and turn off my phone. Which is understandable considering it’s written by the same author of the internationally bestselling The Little Book of Hygge. I feel like both books go hand in hand. They are about truly being present, relishing in new experiences and practising self-care. In a world of social media overload, consumerism and constant overstimulation, it can be easy to forget what really matters and underestimate how truly rich and fulfilling our lives are. I find both books incredibly comforting and they serve as a wonderful reminder to be conscious of our emotions and senses so we can create and hold on to perfect moments, especially the ones who will eventually shape who we are.
The Art of Making Memories: How to Create and Remember Happy Moments by Meik Wiking is available at Amazon here and currently retails for £8.08.
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