Through our lives, we develop memories and along the way we start associating certain things with memories. I refer to these as tokens of nostalgia. To me soccer cleats, toy guns, Toblerone candy bars, firecrackers, grilled fish, and action figures are all associated with fond memories. The younger elementary school version of myself, didn't like books or to study and definitely didn't understand why grown ups had to work. I do however remember one thing through my whole childhood...the image of my exhausted dad returning from work everyday with a Toblerone bar tucked away in his pocket. No matter how stressful or busy his day was, he wouldn't forget that candy bar...maybe cause of the time I sulked when he did forget. Now whenever I am at the checkout line at Target, I see these bars and first image that pops up in my head is my dad at my old apartment door and then me falling asleep on his lap with a half finished candy bar. Another time I have this memory is when I am sitting in the dentist chair awaiting my 30th root canal, but thats neither here nor there.
Similar memories surrounded this basketball rim. To Lyssa it was a memory of simpler times when they were young and played countless hours of basketball with the family. She told me their dad would lose and then blame the sun being in his eyes for missed shots when the sun was clearly behind them and not the culprit. Things are more complicated now, but these memories stay and the rim continues to provide solace in these memories. I can only wonder what tokens Monk and the younger kids I know will use to weave their web of memories. If you made it to the end of this post, take a step back and think of your tokens of nostalgia. How have your memories been molded and wrapped around simple tokens that now affect your daily life? Think about it and while you ponder that thought, I am going to go get myself a Toblerone bar.
