The eternal sunshine of my spotless mind!

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All of us, at one time or the other have wondered about having some different abilities than what we actually have. Especially as kids, with our imaginations at the peak, sky was the limit then. I for one, as a kid - hated eating rice. And rice was something i had to put up with every single day. It just didn't look fair to me. Subjecting my mouth, my tongue, my taste buds to this torture seemed like a crime of the highest order. I remember praying to God to provide me with a zip for my tummy, so that i would be able to put the things that i don't like to eat directly in my stomach without having to taste it! And the yummy ones, i could then eat normally. LOL. The wish was never granted, but it made for a good childhood memory. (I still wish for it sometimes.)

My new muse now is that what if there was a way to erase the memories we didn't want to keep. Not because there is no space, we don't even use the whole of our brain. But those memories which are really hurtful, how i wish there was a way to get rid of them and move on without having a knowledge of its happening ever again. 'Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind' - Blame this movie for getting me to think on these lines. The movie totally freaked me out.

It's about two people falling in love and carrying on a relationship for some time. But they get bored and frustrated with each other and end up apart. She doesn't want to remember him or anything about him cos it's too difficult to move on. She goes for a memory-erasure-procedure where every detail connected to him in her life is taken out of her system! He gets to know about this, and decides to undergo it himself too. But as the doctors erase his memory one by one, towards the end he doesn't wish to continue with it and tries to hold on to one last memory. He struggles, but alas! It's erased permanently. Much after that, the same two people meet again. Both do not remember each other, but they get together again to live happily ever after.

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There's one part of the movie, where they find a tape which was recorded by the doctor before their memory was erased. They listen to it, and it's unbelievable! That part totally freaked me out. How would it be to forget the memories that have been the closest to your heart, some of the deepest emotions. And then one fine day, when you have no clue something so major ever happened in your life, you stumble upon something that tells you something so ghastly about yourself. That must be even more painful and horrifying than living with the hurt all along!

The movie was a work of fiction. But it set me musing as to what i would do if i really had a choice to undergo a memory-erasure-procedure. Would i ever go for it? Would i be able to let go of any memories, however painful they be? Would i be prepared to lose a part of my life never to remember it again? Would i try to hang on to it too? It's a momentary feeling, wishing to be able to not remember something. But if i really had a choice, then? Hmmm....

What would you guys do? Leave a comment and let me know!