The Polaroids on our memories

1-2 min read

June 15, 2020

One can think of light as a wave travelling through time and space.

Since light is an electromagnetic wave, it has an electric & a magnetic component, and they both are perpendicular to each other. If the electric component lies in one plane and magnetic component lies in another, there are infinite possible ways in which they can be arranged in three dimensions. This is what we call unpolarized light. Most of the light we see around us is unpolarized.

light wave

But what if we somehow allow only one of these infinite ways, in a light ray. Then, that particular light ray is called polarized. Thin sheets of plastics which allow us to do that are called polarizers.

polarization

Similar to polarized light, our memories are also polarized versions of reality. If we draw an analogy:

  1. reality/truth is the unpolarized light
  2. memory is the polarized light
  3. we the individual and our understanding of the world at the moment of observing memories is the polaroid

As we evolve and change as an individual, we keep stacking these polaroids on our memories. Depending upon the polaroid, we may or may not remember a memory fondly. If we are “happy”, everything seems wonderful, even the difficult memories seem worth it or just a humorous incident. On the other hand, if we are “unhappy”, everything seems gloomy, we just want to revert to our previous “happy” states.

But just like plastic sheet polaroid blocks the light, our current and previous states also block the truth. As soon as the first polaroid is placed in front of memory, the truth is lost, and there’s no way to get it back. Actually, most of the truth is lost, and only a fragment of it is left. That is not to say that it’s an outright lie, but rather it just a memory and that’s all it is. And that is how we should observe it, we should not let this memory cloud our present.

Unlike the memories, the truth is always present in the present, if choose to see it. So, we should cherish it. Truth is not easy, it’s not hard, it’s just truth, and it may not be for everyone.

After all, not everyone can stare into the sun without polaroids.

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