Our house usually resonates with music, as my four daughters (three teenage ones) love listening to music as most kids their age do. I am grateful for the musical taste of my girls. I am relieved that most mainstream music of the present is “listenable” even for older generations. Upon hearing the song House of Memories, a picture sprang to my mind straight away. I knew I had to paint it. I am very fond of memories. For years I have experienced a brain overload. I seem to forget a lot. Therefore I love to capture my memories somehow — I take pictures galore, I write a diary. I will create a visual board one day.

Some memories fade with time, and others keep standing out. We remember best the moments with strong emotions attached to them. We remember those moments we savored to the full, being completely present. Looking back, playing memories in my mind, I discovered that most of my memories were stained by some kind of worry. I could not savor the experience, because I was worried about the future or the things that were not quite as perfect as I wanted them to be. I realized I should concentrate on the things that are alright, lovely, pleasant, and even those I had taken for granted.

“Just imagine you would wake up tomorrow and have only those things you were grateful for today,” said my husband one day. You bet I have practiced gratefulness more since then! Gratefulness is actually very useful. It makes you into a happy person.

I keep reminding myself to live in the present moment and be grateful for all those things and all those wonderful people around me. So that those precious instants of time with my kids, my husband, my parents, and friends or when creating art can become my cherished memories one day. Not lost in time.

The house is slowly taking its shape. Now I have to choose what memories to paint… What are your top memories?

Featured image by Lisa Fotios. To admire her work, see https://www.lisafotiosphotography.co.uk/