Last week I heard for the first time an answer that keeps pounding inside my mind. I was doing my first mentoring session with a man in his mid-sixties, and we were warming up our discussion with generic questions, a stage named 0,00KM.
In the exercise, the mentee describes and formulates the current moment in life in its different aspects. To help us navigate through uncharted waters, I give some suggestions to develop some lines of thought.
When did I ask him, what is calling you? I was expecting to hear about things that attracted or energized him. Maybe something that has caught his attention recently or a long-term desire. Often I listen to people telling me about concrete things, such as acquiring a new skill, learning to play an instrument, moving to another city, or change to a different job.
But his answer struck me like lightning. He said,
“What calls me are memories. Not memories from the past, but the memories I want to build and create in the future”
Honestly, I never thought in such a manner. I always saw memories as past events, a mental impression retained, or a recollection. At no time I could consider memory to be a substance from the future. Something that already exists and is waiting to be brought into the present.
It took me a while to understand this incredible wisdom nugget. I am still processing it. This episode led me to look at some old pictures. I was intrigued with the memories from the past:).
While scanning an old folder, I stop on a photo I took of my two older kids. I remember perfectly the spot it was taken, the year, and, more importantly, what I was thinking at that moment.
There is a bench facing the Atlantic Ocean in the little fishermen’s village of Porto Covo in Costa Vicentina. My kids took a seat spontaneously, and I stayed behind them. Without saying a word, the moment was captured for eternity.
Then, all my existence was condensed into a focal point. I thought that when you have a glimpse of infinity, everything makes (more) sense. I remember that I also wished I could “collect” more occasions like this one. If I could, I would love to spend the rest of my existence presencing life unfolding. I wanted a very different meaning for my life, preferably with a good mixture of people and nature, two of my favorite ingredients.
It is curious because last year, in November, I visited that same spot while doing a Walking Mentorship program. Twelve years passed between dates, and my life continues to walk into what I wished on that day.
I think I started creating the memory of the future when I embraced what was calling me. The words from my wise mentee made even more sense, “What calls me are memories. Not memories from the past, but the memories I want to build and create in the future”.
What about you? What memories are you building and creating to bring the future to your present moment? Maybe it is worth it to take some time to think about it and then act accordingly.
Our mentoring session ended up with a beautiful thought. If you collect enough memories (either from the past or the future), most likely one (life) is probably enough, a good one!
Keep walking with me,
Founder of Walking Mentorship
