Receipts

I dreamed last night that someone mailed me a stack of receipts — from restaurants, theaters, all sorts of places we had gone. When I got them in the mail, in my dream I texted and thanked this person for returning the memories. Songs, movies, words………..all these provoke memories for me. When they’re good memories, that’s great. When they’re not, it requires me to get busy working on reprogramming my neurons. Unpleasant memories can “trigger our propensities” to quote Pema Chodron, and I like the concept of being able to send them back. If I mentally return the memories to whomever was associated with them, maybe that will stop unproductive thoughts that accompany them. “I don’t need this memory any more and I’m returning it. Keep it or cherish it. If you don’t want it and have no use for it, go ahead and just toss it. Thanks!” And I could add “Nice doing business with you”.