Reflections on A Journey Through Memory #AtoZChallenge 2018

My theme for the April 2018 A to Z Blog Challenge, was a journey through memory, where I explored the concept of memory through science, art, literature, film, nutrition and any other avenue that led me to greater understanding or help me knock out a letter.

Overall, it was a lot of fun, I learned a lot, and I struggled with choices, as I am sure many of those who chose to do this challenge also did.  Here are my insights from the experience divided into what I learned about doing the challenge, and what I learned about the topic.

On the topic:

• Looking at a topic through many lenses (art, science, pithy quotes), was a lot of fun, and enriched insights.  When myth and science agree, it can be illuminating as well as exciting. It was also a reminder on how important both are for making sense of our lives and our worlds.
• What the coolest things I learned about memory–reflected in science, art and literature–is how grounded it is personal experience, and shaped it is by personal filters.  And yet we also have shared cultural memory which ties some of us together, and perhaps creates rifts between others.

On the challenge itself:

• Next year I plan to pick a theme with a lot of synonyms.  There are not a lot of other words that can sub for memory, so I found having to use the word over and over again through the month got a little frustrating.
• Having to find words to stuff into the less common letters (Q, X, Z) is a creative challenge, and leads one into neat new places.

Visit the author bloggers to see their reflections on the April 2018 A to Z Blog Challenge,