We always think that the major events we've gone through, the people we've loved passionately, and the sleepless nights we've spent will be stored permanently in the album of our memory like photographs. We believe that anything important enough will never be forgotten. We cling to every detail, fearing that with one slip, those times will dissipate into the wind. Yet this belief is our greatest misconception about memory.

Time, like the cruelest sieve, silently filters out many precious details. You might remember the face of your first love, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, but possibly forget what color shirt he wore on your first date or recall the content of your conversation. You might remember the lively noise and tears at your graduation ceremony, but perhaps forget what whispers your best friend shared with you or the warmth of the sunlight that day. Those once vivid scenes fade unconsciously, even covered by new memories, eventually leaving only an empty frame. We try to grasp them, but like grabbing a handful of sand, we end up with mere traces between our fingers.

But forgetting is not a betrayal of the past. It is a survival mechanism of our brain. If we must forever remember all pain, all mistakes, all embarrassments, and all regrets, we would be unable to move forward. If we always remembered the feeling of being hurt, we wouldn't be able to trust again; if we always remembered the taste of failure, we wouldn't be able to try anew. Forgetting allows us to detach from pain, lay down past burdens, and make room for new experiences. It is a form of self-healing, a capability to breathe again, to feel beauty anew, and even to love again.

We also need to forget to avoid being crushed by the weight of memory. Forgetting is like a "garbage collection system" in our brain that automatically filters and discards useless memories that hinder our progress. This does not mean we should forget past lessons but rather that we should lay aside past heaviness. It allows us to continue walking with experience instead of stagnating under the burden.

So rather than fearing forgetting, strive to feel and remember the warmth of the current moment before it is forgotten. Feel the warm sunlight on your face now, feel the temperature of the hand beside you, immerse yourself in the conversation you're having, all the emotions and feelings of the present moment. Because one day, when you look back, you'll find that what you possess are not those clear memories, but every moment you once truly lived. The forgotten details exist in another form, perhaps already integrated into your character, becoming your wisdom, shaping the person you are today.

We are all travelers in time, with memory as our luggage. In some future day, you'll discover that your luggage has lightened considerably. You may forget those who caused you pain, but you'll remember how bravely you walked that path; you may forget those despairing moments, but you'll remember how you stood up again. This is the meaning of forgetting: it's not meant for you to lose, but for you to carry forward the essence and continue toward the future.