Monday Musings

  Memory is the foundation of understanding. We build our perceptions of ourselves and others on background knowledge. We weigh the importance of memories. It is simple to recall what we consider our “rights”; however, at times, our “duties” slip our minds. Sometimes, we incorrectly prioritize one over the other, electing the easier of the options. Here is the rule to remember in the future, When anything tempts you to be bitter: not, ‘This is a misfortune’ but ‘To bear this worthily is good fortune.’  Marcus Aurelius Choose to accept and shoulder “bad luck” and search your brain archives for past facts or details which may redefine the experience. Remembering is a complex process, physiologically based on the connections between neurons. It can be short-term, lasting only 20–30 seconds, or long-term, for decades. A sensory memory may be vivid, typically triggered by a scent. An example is the  Proust Effect . Forgetting, or “failure to remember,” is a common phenomenon. ...

  Autumn has arrived with its signature sensory inputs. The crunch of leaves underfoot, the kaleidoscope of changing colors, and the distinct scents of fall. In an 1841 letter, English poet and novelist George Eliot called the smell of fall “a perfect anodyne to the restless spirit.” According to  Theresa M. Crimmins, PhD (director of the USA National Phenology Network) ,  autumn’s classic aroma derives mainly from decaying plant material.  As leaf fall decomposes, “sugars and carbohydrates break down, emitting volatile organic compounds and other gasses that have a musky, somewhat sweet smell.” There is a regional variation in the odor, dependent on the local plants that drop leaves. With less humidity and lower temperatures, there is a “crisp, clean feeling” attributed to fall air. “Cooler air holds fewer molecules, meaning fewer things are floating around for our noses to detect — the air is less ‘cluttered’ than during warmer, more humid seasons,” Dr. Crimmins sa...