A Tanda away

Your strongest memories

Let’s do an exercise. Think about some of the strongest memories in your life so far. Just pick a few that come to mind.

Done?…

Now answer the following questions.

Do these moments involve another person or were they moments that you were alone?

Is there an emotion attached to those moments?

Let me guess. For most of you… for most of your answers, there was at least one more person at that moment. These moments are also attached to an emotion. The most important memories in life often involve other people. These memories are linked to specific emotions. That is why we forget what we cooked and ate two days ago if it was just some usual dish. However, we never forget that one dish we tried on a trip with our friends or loved ones.

A life’s memories

I am writing all these on a day that will forever connect me with a very special person who I have deeply loved all my life. My grandma! On this day, after almost 95 years in this world, she passed away. My latest memories with her are still so fresh. It was almost a month ago. I was sitting next to her at the Christmas lunch table. We were having fun and teasing each other.

During her last years, like many elderly, she suffered from mild dementia. She would repeatedly ask the same questions. Nevertheless, she would remember vividly and she would tell you all kinds of stories from her life. Looking back on these stories there are always those two common themes. Other people and emotions. There was not a single story that didn’t include at least another person. There was not a single story that she remembered without having an emotion attached. 95 years of stories full of other people and emotions.

The gift of you

Have you ever wondered in how many people’s stories do you exist? We all know the people we have in our stories… but how many people have YOU in one of their stories? How many people have YOU connected with an emotion that is worth occupying some space in their mind? Have you ever wondered that? How many people have YOU touched? How many people will tell stories with YOU… about YOU… of YOU? And what kind of emotions are attached to those stories? Fear? Love? Anger? Warmth? …

I don’t think that anyone knows.

Every such story is a gift you made to someone. Like you packed a small part of you in a nice imaginary box and gifted it to them. When the emotion attached is a pleasant one, the gift is appreciated. It is kept in a special place in their mind. If not… then maybe it’s there… maybe it’s hidden… or maybe it’s thrown out the window of their mind.

My grandma was not a super famous person. She would not be remembered by large crowds all over the world for years. But I know she will be in my stories attached with warm, cosy and loving emotions. She gifted me with so many parts of her. I want to believe that the same will be true for many others. She probably never imagined or thought about it … but this is how she will stay “alive” for many more years to come. Through our stories. Thought those gifts she gave us.

You are just one Tanda away…

Now get back to those moments that I asked you to remember at the beginning of the post. Do any of them include Tango? Maybe a Tanda that you remember for some reason? Maybe you have such memories, maybe not. You may also be in other people’s stories and memories because of this one Tanda you shared with them. You can’t know. You might never find out. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if you do exist in other people’s stories attached with pleasant emotions? Isn’t that a noble and nice value to live by?

Next time you get to the dancefloor remember this. It may be just another Tanda for you. Something insignificant or mundane. Just another Tanda of the many.  But… you may be one Tanda away from becoming part of someone else’s stories. You may be one Tanda away from being a part of someone else’s memories for years to come. Think about this before you get on the dancefloor… then embrace your partner and… dance!

Tonight’s Goodnight Tango

Tonight’s Goodnight Tango says that life is a milonga and you should get out and dance it.

Yes! Life is a milonga and at any moment…

You are just a Tanda away from becoming a part of someone else’s life memories!

You are just a Tanda away from someone else becoming a part of your memories!

Get out there and dance it!

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