Thursday 15 December.

Making memories means doing, creating, living and experiencing – so that you can look back on those moments. In a way, memories is like writing a book: a personal book for you to revise in the future.

Writing down memories allows you to visualise them and do remember them in detail. For this reason, I love journaling and keeping an up-to-date diary for the memories I make every day. One of my favourite feelings is scavenging a cafe for a piece of paper and pen to write down the current memory I am experiencing (if not I’ll use my phone – but I prefer to physically write it down, like a memory in itself, on paper). For example, right now I am in Graz, the second largest city in Austria, just two hours south of Vienna. Today my friend took me to Schlossberg – the most popular landmark in the city, a clock tower and castle on top of a mountain in the middle of the city – where we sat and had the most delicious breakfast. I found inspiration there and then and found some paper in my bag and hurried to write down everything I was feeling.

Months, maybe years later, when you sit down with your friends and relive the past moments of your life together. You laugh and cringe at the best and worst memories you have made. Truly, no memory can be bad – in my opinion. They all create some meaning in your life. We don’t remember every minute of our lives, nor do we remember every day. And so, the moments you do recall, and recall well, are those that have helped shaped you in some way.

Memories build each of us a messy patchwork quilt that construes our life: a scrapbook, if you like. A patchwork quilt denotes bursts of colour and patterns.

Make the most of those moments you feel utter joy, laughter and happiness. Take note of them or store a snapshot of it in your mind for you to look back on in years to come. Don’t waste these short years we have: life is too short for regrets. At my age, I am making the most of every day, living in the present, and being thankful for what is right in front of me, in my hands.

In the forum and comment section below, put your favourite memory of 2022.