The end of September gives way to thoughts of October and eventually another winter filled with cold and snow. Each year the anticipation for winter dwindles. As a youngster, the idea of making a snowman or having a snowball fight and building a snow fort was significant. Now winter just means finding a way to maneuver on the ice – getting from the house to your car without falling down – a time of isolation (who wants that anymore) – time to spend on a hobby that you’re no longer capable of. Still our memories are important for so many reasons. Especially as we grow older. Once we start to lose our memory, our whole character comes into question.

When I got back into performing some 40 years ago, the college I attended was producing the play, “The Fantastiks.” The 1960 musical with music by Harvey Schmidt and book and lyrics by Tom Jones, tells the story of two neighboring fathers who trick their children into falling in love by pretending to be feuding. It was the typical love story, with music oozing throughout. The one song that sticks in my memory is, “Try to Remember.” This melancholy song captures exactly what I mean. When we grow old, we lose some of those special memories that kept us young. We can’t always recapture them, but if we keep reminding ourselves as time goes by, they might come back again.

Don’t ever give up those beautiful times in life that emblazoned your mind. Rekindle those thoughts. Stir the fire and keep it going. Don’t stop believing that you can keep them alive, by revisiting them. So many people my age are struggling in memory care units or are experiencing the loss of memory. That’s why it’s so important for us to try to remember.

Try to remember the kind of September when life was slow and oh, so mellow
Try to remember the kind of September when grass was green and grain was yellow
Try to remember the kind of September when you were a tender and callow fellow
Try to remember and if you remember then follow

Try to remember when life was so tender that no one wept except the willow
Try to remember when life was so tender that dreams were kept beside your pillow
Try to remember when life was so tender that love was an ember about to billow
Try to remember and if you remember then follow

Deep in December it’s nice to remember although you know the snow will follow
Deep in December it’s nice to remember without the hurt the heart is hollow
Deep in December it’s nice to remember the fire of September that made us mellow
Deep in December our hearts should remember and follow