When we think of aging, memory is often viewed as something that declines. That is true (I’ve looked for my phone while holding it in my hand), but in many ways, memory also gets better with age.
As adults, our brains become more skilled at organizing, filtering, and shaping memories. We can look at pictures and news articles, and ask friends what they remember about a shared event if the details get fuzzy. This approach is different from what children do to remember events. They’re more vulnerable to suggestion and less able to use external reference points (like Googling information to figure out a timeline of events).
As we age, we reconstruct memories more meaningfully (such as that birthday happening the same year the museum was constructed), weaving emotions and personal insights into the past.
Interestingly, emotion plays a key role. Events with strong emotional impact are often more vividly remembered. No memory is flawless—we all experience the occasional false memory—but adults tend to be more aware of these pitfalls. For example, as we get older, we experience more losses (friendships, jobs, moving, etc). Although the pain doesn’t decrease, we find ways to deal with preserving (or erasing) those memories.
So, while we may forget where we put our keys, we have better coping skills when dealing with our memories compared when we were younger. In that sense, memory isn’t just preserved—it’s perfected.
Vanya Wryter Consulting Services 
Nice read
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Interesting and it makes sense that memories influence what we remember!
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Yes they do! Thanks for reading!
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You’re welcome – have a good week!
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Interesante 💯
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Thank you!
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So interesting!
Thanks a lot for sharing
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Thanks for reading!
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My pleasure 🙏🌹🙏
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So true! A thought provoking post!☀️
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Thanks for reading!
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Interesting and encouraging. Thank you, Vanya.
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Thanks, Michele!
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Yeah, I think it depends on the kind of memory. Interesting post!
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Agreed! Some memories you can’t get out of your head and others you can’t erase!
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👍💙
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Thanks!
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Yes, we learn to perfect the coping skills to ensure memory is intact.
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Well said! Coping skills to ensure memory is intact!
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with the recent passing of my dad, memories are coming back, some good, a lot of them bad or questionable….I’ve noticed recently though, names have become a problem…
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I had a similar experience when a family member passed. And yes, for me, I have issues with names but I remember faces more easily!
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Memory is not perfectly understood but I believe it does its job perfectly, if that makes any sense. There’s so much going on in there. Our brains are such fabulous things. Nice!
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It is quite amazing how much information is organized and retained in there!
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Vanya, you are very correct about the connection between memories and emotions. Sometimes I will have the sharpest memory of something I have not thought about in years because a thought or emotion will trigger it. Of course, while I am typing this, none of those examples come to mind…
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Sometimes a song or a smell will trigger a strong memory. Other times, I will forget a password that I’ve been using frequently on a daily basis. 😂
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