--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think memory is essential to what we…" description: "\"I think memory is essential to what we are. If we - we wouldn't be able to talk to each other without memory. And what we think of as the present reall..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f2/w-s-merwin-10641_i-think_i-think-memory-is-essential-to-what-we-a_2421816.jpg" --- # I think memory is essential to what we are. If we - we… ![“I think memory is essential to what we are. If we - we wouldn't be able to talk to each other without memory. And what we think of as the present really is the past. It is made out of the past.” quote by W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f2/w-s-merwin-10641_i-think_i-think-memory-is-essential-to-what-we-a_2421816.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f2/w-s-merwin-10641_i-think_i-think-memory-is-essential-to-what-we-a_2421816.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f2/w-s-merwin-10641_i-think_i-think-memory-is-essential-to-what-we-a_2421816.jpg) > “I think memory is essential to what we are. If we - we wouldn't be able to talk to each other without memory. And what we think of as the present really is the past. It is made out of the past.” [W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Memory is fundamental to identity and communication; the present is constructed from past experiences. **In simple terms:** Memory shapes who we are and our present. Key Takeaway Cultivate and honor your memories. Themes identity memory time Mood nostalgic contemplative Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - historical analysis - storytelling Key Concepts Philosophy of self temporal perception Questions to Reflect On - How does memory influence your sense of self? - Can we live fully in the present? A Different Perspective Overreliance on memory can distort present reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Memory Essential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory-essential-4846432/) [Memory Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory-think-480893/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present/) [Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk/) [Talk Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-memory-2045382/) [Think Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-memory-255954/) [Think Present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-present-350013/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“People who have lost their memories have lost much of what makes them who they are. Memory is what enables us to learn by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-wolfe/people-who-have-lost-their-memories-have-lost-much-of-what-makes-them/) [Patricia Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-wolfe/) > [Memory is essential to who we are, and memories can be both implicit and explicit - unconscious and conscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/memory-is-essential-to-who-we-are-and-memories-can-be-both-implicit/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [Sometimes we talk about memory as though it's firm and fixed, but of course, memory is highly fluid and subjective and thus highly subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/sometimes-we-talk-about-memory-as-though-it-s-firm-and-fixed-but-of/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [It's killing me not to talk to you: Every memory, every word, every thought, every feeling...I can't handle missing you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cuts-and-scars/it-s-killing-me-not-to-talk-to-you-every-memory-every-word-every/) [Cuts And Scars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cuts-and-scars/) > [Its killing me not to talk to you: Every memory, every word, every thought, every feeling. I cant handle missing you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nisha-kapoor/its-killing-me-not-to-talk-to-you-every-memory-every-word-every/) [Nisha Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nisha-kapoor/) > [Clearing your head of distractions in order to notice and understand the people you are with can feel inefficient - there are so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-heffernan/clearing-your-head-of-distractions-in-order-to-notice-and-understand/) [Margaret Heffernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-heffernan/) > [While writing books about the past, I think about the present. 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I wanted to counter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-suleiman/i-don-t-particularly-have-a-good-memory-i-think-history-is-many-times/) [Elia Suleiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-suleiman/) > [As Siri says, who is deeply involved with neuroscience, emotion consolidates memory, and I think that's true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/as-siri-says-who-is-deeply-involved-with-neuroscience-emotion/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [“Each time I have a lapse of memory, I think of the anguish which must afflict those who know they no longer remember anything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/each-time-i-have-a-lapse-of-memory-i-think-of-the-anguish-which-must/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [Any tragic memory I have I also think is really funny. On any given day, I can think about how horrible something is and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/any-tragic-memory-i-have-i-also-think-is-really-funny-on-any-given/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I don't think forgetting is an important feature of human memory. I think it's important to be able to remember things accurately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-bell/i-don-t-think-forgetting-is-an-important-feature-of-human-memory-i/) [Gordon Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-bell/) > [“You think you're charging up that memory? Is that what you think? You are going to be so sorry when I dream about my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-crane/you-think-you-re-charging-up-that-memory-is-that-what-you-think-you/) [Carolyn Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-crane/) ## More by W. S. Merwin > [When a poem is really finished, you can't change anything. You can't move words around. You can't say, 'In other words, you mean.' No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin/when-a-poem-is-really-finished-you-can-t-change-anything-you-can-t/) [W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) > [We are not born to survive. Only to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin/we-are-not-born-to-survive-only-to-live/) [W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) > [What you remember saves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin/what-you-remember-saves-you/) [W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) > [I also think that life itself is both indifferent to us and the source of all of our joys and everything that we love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin/i-also-think-that-life-itself-is-both-indifferent-to-us-and-the/) [W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) > [I think it's good for anybody to learn languages. Americans are particularly limited in that way. Europeans less so... 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Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) > [I go five steps in the garden, and I immediately lose track of time... it is a kind of joy in being alive in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin/i-go-five-steps-in-the-garden-and-i-immediately-lose-track-of-time-it/) [W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) > [What I really believe is the only hopeful relation between our life and the whole of life is one of reverence and respect and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin/what-i-really-believe-is-the-only-hopeful-relation-between-our-life/) [W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) > [As soon as I could write with a little pencil, I was writing these little hymns and illustrating them, and I thought they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin/as-soon-as-i-could-write-with-a-little-pencil-i-was-writing-these/) [W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) > [There are aspects of human life that are not purely destructive, and there is a need to pay attention to the things around us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin/there-are-aspects-of-human-life-that-are-not-purely-destructive-and/) [W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) > [If there'd been a better-balanced society, where there were other ways of making a decent living, I think it might have been different. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin/if-there-d-been-a-better-balanced-society-where-there-were-other-ways/) [W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) > [We are the shadow of Sirius. There is the other side of - as we talk to each other, we see the light, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin/we-are-the-shadow-of-sirius-there-is-the-other-side-of-as-we-talk-to/) [W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) > [Any work of art makes one very simple demand on anyone who genuinely wants to get in touch with it. And that is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-merwin/any-work-of-art-makes-one-very-simple-demand-on-anyone-who-genuinely/) [W. S. Merwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) [Explore all 64 W. S. Merwin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-merwin/) ## More I think quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. 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And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I think a person has to just be herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-nixon/i-think-a-person-has-to-just-be-herself/) [Pat Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-nixon/) > [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. 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Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) [Browse all 29,267 I think quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think memory is essential to what we are. If we - we wouldn't be able to talk to each other without memory. And what we think of as the present really is the past. It is made out of the past.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. S. 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