Memories are haunting. People may come and go throughout your lives, and a certain part of them are etched into you as they pass through. Whether they made you happy or sad, they leave footprints in the form of memories.

Pleasant and happy memories with people whom you had once come into contact with or with whom you still come into contact with, makes you smile at odd times when these pops up unexpectedly, or when something reminds you of them. You reminisce about times long forgotten, and wish fervently that you could turn back time, to experience that fresh peels of laughter, and those radiant faces and smiles so bright, they lit up the night. Not that you are not happy now. But as age catches up, smiles fade, and days grow shorter while night lengthens.You might also probably be enjoying life now, but with different people whose personalities contrast startkly with those you shared those happy memories with. Not that you don't enjoy the company you're having now. But people who grow up together with you since young are still more special than people you meet half way through your live. So those memories are sacred. Footprints that are etched so deeply, no amount of catastrophies can drown them out.

As deeply etched are the good memories, the bad ones resemble stubborn stains as well. That's why memories can be haunting. It is so easy for people to just leave or disappear from your lives, soemtimes without even leaving trails (except for memories of course) But what ultimately sticks are the memories. I don't think those who do the vanishing act actually feel as strongly about these memories. But those who are left behind would certainly be more affected by these memories which sticks. It'll be nice if these memories could also leave together with the person. But then again, that will not be remotely possible because of how we are made.

Because of the flambouyant personality I flaunted when I was still an immature child, my mind becomes a film projector with a wide selection of films. It is a film box stored full of films both bad and good. Some badder than others. Some more pleasant and wonderful than others. If I were given a choice to totally wash and wipe away cleanly the bad memories in my head, I would still choose to keep them. Strange isn't it? How much I resent them, but still can't bear to part with them. Well, many of the bad memories had messages encoded in them. Through life's bad patches, I learnt to decode them and try not fall back into demise again. Not only did these bad films send me life's messages, they toughened me up physically and emotionally as well. So whenever a bad film plays itself out, I grit my teeth, say 'fuck it' and continue to soldier on. I am positive there're even more people out there whose film projectors, which is their minds, stores so many bad films that the good ones get buried under. I can only say 'tough luck'. But I'll always thank the almighty that I have it easier and my situation is not the worse. I guess that's what keeps me going.

I am Aileen Almighty.