To remember a feeling
Attempting to master empathy
We all remember a time when we repeat a mistake — especially one that we were certain left a mark and would not appear again.
For example, poor performance for the exams! After a bad paper, I tell myself that I ought to put in more effort next time as I do not want to be in this state again. Yet when we return to a stable state, we return to the passive state of inaction — only to repeat the process.
Some feeling last a lifetime indeed — most people will remember the changes they felt in the adolescence years as it took you by surprise. Or the time you fell in love and how that emotional state filled your mind with millions of thoughts. These feelings are rare and valued — thus we recollect.
However, most of the other feelings tend to be forgotten. This is why people struggle to empathize with a fellow being because they cannot fathom how the experience must have been — you cannot simulate your hormone secretions by mere thought.
We tend to forget how a situation feels long after it passes — and this makes communication difficult with someone in that position.
This is why parents tend to find their children's problems unreasonable. Sometimes, however, changing times are to blame but more often we forget how we endured a moment and that causes lack of empathy for a fellow being in a similar position?
Sometimes, this could be a blessing in disguise. Forgetting how your suffered during a phase of your life might help you look forward with optimism for what your life has to offer. Also, your mind can keep together only a finite collection of details at a moment so this forgetfulness of yours might help you better engage with the present.
What are possible solutions? Well, you could try to be proactive by writing down your feeling or recording a video about the same. Go through it later when you forget it. Maybe you could develop routines to keep that memory fresh in mind.
I would be interested in researching further about how experiences are stored so if you are interested, keep an eye on this write up for updates.
Possible Solutions
(17/12/2019)
Proactive attempt and Virtual Reality Simulation. It is all about getting the mind to that state.
