--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think people prefer to remember happy…" description: "\"“I think people prefer to remember happy times, well, happier times, and if they can't remember them, then to change the memories and make them happier..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebc/donna-leon-7276_fishermen_i-think-people-prefer-to-remember-happy_1461368.jpg" --- # I think people prefer to remember happy times, well… ![“I think people prefer to remember happy times, well, happier times, and if they can't remember them, then to change the memories and make them happier.” quote by Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebc/donna-leon-7276_fishermen_i-think-people-prefer-to-remember-happy_1461368.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebc/donna-leon-7276_fishermen_i-think-people-prefer-to-remember-happy_1461368.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebc/donna-leon-7276_fishermen_i-think-people-prefer-to-remember-happy_1461368.jpg) > ““I think people prefer to remember happy times, well, happier times, and if they can't remember them, then to change the memories and make them happier.”” [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People tend to idealize the past, and when memories fade, they may rewrite them to preserve happiness, revealing a bias toward positive recollection. **In simple terms:** We remember and reshape memories to stay happy. Key Takeaway Recognize memory bias and cherish authentic experiences. Themes memory psychology nostalgia bias happiness Mood nostalgic reflective optimistic Type psychological observational When to use this quote - personal storytelling - therapy - writing - historical research Key Concepts cognitive distortion positive illusion memory reconstruction Questions to Reflect On - What memories have you altered for comfort? - How does this bias affect decision making? A Different Perspective Memory alteration can distort reality and hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-memories-1102834/) [Fishermen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fishermen/) [Happier times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happier-times/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happy times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-times/) [Make Happier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-happier/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Remember Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-change-497945/) [Remember Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-happy-581384/) [Times Happier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-happier-633346/) [Venice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/venice/) ## Related quotes > [“If you don’t like the things you remember, then all you have to do is change the memories. Instead of remembering the bad things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/if-you-don-t-like-the-things-you-remember-then-all-you-have-to-do-is/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“I am a hundred times happier in my solitude than I could be if I lived among them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/i-am-a-hundred-times-happier-in-my-solitude-than-i-could-be-if-i/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Mistakes make you wiser,sad times make the good times happier and hard times only make you stronger x](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/mistakes-make-you-wiser-sad-times-make-the-good-times-happier-and/) [Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/) > [Remember that it is not enough to have everything around you beautiful, remember that there must also be change and flux, because it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-engel/remember-that-it-is-not-enough-to-have-everything-around-you/) [Marian Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-engel/) > [At the end of the day- it's important to remember we can all change how we think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie/at-the-end-of-the-day-it-s-important-to-remember-we-can-all-change/) [Archie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie/) > [“We must remember that we cannot change others, we can only change ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/we-must-remember-that-we-cannot-change-others-we-can-only-change/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [What will your children remember? We can change the world inside our own houses. Take the gift of this moment and make something beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-gaither/what-will-your-children-remember-we-can-change-the-world-inside-our/) [Gloria Gaither](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-gaither/) > [“Remember, you will never change what you permit, and never challenge what you allow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-stone/remember-you-will-never-change-what-you-permit-and-never-challenge/) [Perry Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-stone/) > [Remember that to change your mind and follow him who sets you right is to be none the less free than you were before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/remember-that-to-change-your-mind-and-follow-him-who-sets-you-right/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“In adverse circumstances, every creature becomes something else, evolving or devolving. What makes us human is that we know what we once were, and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/in-adverse-circumstances-every-creature-becomes-something-else/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [“Remember that in change, no matter how strange or slight the chance, all hope lies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-sagara-west/remember-that-in-change-no-matter-how-strange-or-slight-the-chance/) [Michelle Sagara West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-sagara-west/) > [What we have to remember is that we can still do anything. We can change our minds. We can start over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-keegan/what-we-have-to-remember-is-that-we-can-still-do-anything-we-can/) [Marina Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-keegan/) > [Remember that change has brought you to where you are now and will continue to help you grow if you handle it deftly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varsha-sharma/remember-that-change-has-brought-you-to-where-you-are-now-and-will/) [Varsha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varsha-sharma/) > [Pause and remember - Change will happen the moment you have the courage to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-young/pause-and-remember-change-will-happen-the-moment-you-have-the-courage/) [Jennifer Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-young/) > [Remember me as the one that got away, and I'll remember you and everything, that you will never change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-me-as-the-one-that-got-away-and-i-ll-remember-you-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Donna Leon > [“Vianello had the knack of getting people to talk. Especially if they were Venetians, the people he interviewed invariably warmed to this large, sweet-tempered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/vianello-had-the-knack-of-getting-people-to-talk-especially-if-they/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [This is a fallen world. People lie, the truth gets distorted, and that's the way it is. What's for dinner ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/this-is-a-fallen-world-people-lie-the-truth-gets-distorted-and-that-s/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [“even the worst men wanted to be perceived as better than they were. How else could hypocrisy have risen to such delirious levels?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/even-the-worst-men-wanted-to-be-perceived-as-better-than-they-were/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [“And will knowing what she reads make you know who she is?” “Can you think of a better way to tell?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/and-will-knowing-what-she-reads-make-you-know-who-she-is-can-you/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [I never wanted to be rich or successful or famous. I just wanted to be happy and have fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/i-never-wanted-to-be-rich-or-successful-or-famous-i-just-wanted-to-be/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [“Her mask gave no sign of how this affected her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/her-mask-gave-no-sign-of-how-this-affected-her/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [“Helmut thought himself above common morality. Or perhaps he thought he’d managed to create his own, different from ours, better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/helmut-thought-himself-above-common-morality-or-perhaps-he-thought-he/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [“That’s probably because they said a lot of other things, as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/that-s-probably-because-they-said-a-lot-of-other-things-as-well/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [I listen to Handel's vocal music, almost exclusively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/i-listen-to-handel-s-vocal-music-almost-exclusively/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [“Once, walking with him, Paola had stopped and asked him what he was thinking about, and the fact that she was the only person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/once-walking-with-him-paola-had-stopped-and-asked-him-what-he-was/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [“..if you put people on a diet, they start thinking about food. Or if you make someone stop smoking, all they think about is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/if-you-put-people-on-a-diet-they-start-thinking-about-food-or-if-you/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [And off in the far distance, the gold on the wings of the angel atop the bell tower of San Marco flashed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/and-off-in-the-far-distance-the-gold-on-the-wings-of-the-angel-atop/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [I came to Venice for the first time in 1968 and was lucky enough to make the acquaintanceship, and then the friendship, of two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/i-came-to-venice-for-the-first-time-in-1968-and-was-lucky-enough-to/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [“Pucetti’s was the generation that was all in favour of sentiment, sharing other people’s pain, voicing compassion for the downtrodden, yet Brunetti often found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/pucetti-s-was-the-generation-that-was-all-in-favour-of-sentiment/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) > [I have always had a particular antagonism for the military.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/i-have-always-had-a-particular-antagonism-for-the-military/) [Donna Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) [Explore all 90 Donna Leon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/) ## More Fishermen quotes > [Christ's fishermen should not meddle with men's law, for men' s law contains sharp stones and trees by which the net of God is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/christ-s-fishermen-should-not-meddle-with-men-s-law-for-men-s-law/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [What did Christ really do? He hung out with hard-drinking fishermen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/what-did-christ-really-do-he-hung-out-with-hard-drinking-fishermen/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [Chefs are at the end of a long chain of individuals who work hard to feed people. Farmers, beekeepers, bakers, scientists, fishermen, grocers, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/chefs-are-at-the-end-of-a-long-chain-of-individuals-who-work-hard-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fishermen, no matter what supreme good fortune befalls them, cannot ever be absolutely satisfied. It is a fundamental weakness of intellect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zane-grey/fishermen-no-matter-what-supreme-good-fortune-befalls-them-cannot/) [Zane Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zane-grey/) > [Jesus called fishermen, not graduates of rabbinical schools. The main requirement was to be natural and sincere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cymbala/jesus-called-fishermen-not-graduates-of-rabbinical-schools-the-main/) [Jim Cymbala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cymbala/) > [“Have you ever seen fishermen when a storm is brewing on a great river? I have seen them many a time. In the face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/have-you-ever-seen-fishermen-when-a-storm-is-brewing-on-a-great-river/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [Old fishermen never die, they just smell that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/old-fishermen-never-die-they-just-smell-that-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It was very clear that this was a very, very old site. There were remains of sod walls. Fishermen assumed it was an old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helge-ingstad/it-was-very-clear-that-this-was-a-very-very-old-site-there-were/) [Helge Ingstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helge-ingstad/) > [All Americans believe that they are born fishermen. For a man to admit a distaste for fishing would be like denouncing mother-love or hating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/all-americans-believe-that-they-are-born-fishermen-for-a-man-to-admit/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The frantic summer fishermen who pay a price and glut the decks with fish in the afternoon wonder vaguely what to do with them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/the-frantic-summer-fishermen-who-pay-a-price-and-glut-the-decks-with/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I respected it. I submerged myself into it. So on a lot of days off I would go and fish with the fishermen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeril-lagasse/i-respected-it-i-submerged-myself-into-it-so-on-a-lot-of-days-off-i/) [Emeril Lagasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeril-lagasse/) > [I have heard of a minister, who had been a fisherman, being settled in Bridgewater for as long a time as he could tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-have-heard-of-a-minister-who-had-been-a-fisherman-being-settled-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Fishing in rainy conditions may make fisherman seem crazy to the great mass of unimaginative people, but then few fishermen care what they think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gierach/fishing-in-rainy-conditions-may-make-fisherman-seem-crazy-to-the/) [John Gierach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gierach/) > [I have found more inspiration in the cottages of fishermen than in the palaces of the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-grenfell/i-have-found-more-inspiration-in-the-cottages-of-fishermen-than-in/) [Wilfred Grenfell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-grenfell/) > [We do have to think seriously about conservation now, although it is chilling to realize there are catch-and-release fishermen alive today who don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gierach/we-do-have-to-think-seriously-about-conservation-now-although-it-is/) [John Gierach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gierach/) [Browse all 64 Fishermen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fishermen/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I think people prefer to remember happy times, well, happier times, and if they can't remember them, then to change the memories and make them happier.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Donna Leon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/i-think-people-prefer-to-remember-happy-times-well-happier-times-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fishermen" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/i-think-people-prefer-to-remember-happy-times-well-happier-times-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebc/donna-leon-7276_fishermen_i-think-people-prefer-to-remember-happy_1461368.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebc/donna-leon-7276_fishermen_i-think-people-prefer-to-remember-happy_1461368.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebc/donna-leon-7276_fishermen_i-think-people-prefer-to-remember-happy_1461368.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think people prefer to remember happy times, well, happier times, and if they can't remember them, then to…” — Donna Leon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Donna Leon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-leon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I think people prefer to remember...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/i-think-people-prefer-to-remember-happy-times-well-happier-times-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-leon/i-think-people-prefer-to-remember-happy-times-well-happier-times-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```