March 2015
From the Dragons’ Den
“So much of our early gladness vanishes utterly from our memory: we can never recall the joy with which we ……….. “ “Doubtless that joy is wrought up into our nature ………. but it is gone for ever from our imagination, and we can only BELIEVE in the joy of childhood.” George Eliot – Adam Bede.
So, according to George Eliot, we lose the memories of the gladness, the joy that we felt as a child in the mass of matter which ferments in our minds over many, many years.
I sometimes wonder, when I get a flash from the past, whispering at the edge of my memory, intriguing me as I try to resurrect an image of a happening from the dim and distant mystery chest of childhood, where is the key to unlock the memories so that they take on the reality that once was.
As we enjoy each Little Dragon session with our young charges, I would like to think that they will remember the halcyon days spent riding around the huge central aisle on the various bikes and other vehicles; remember the joy of the wooden train set; think of the little people who live in the dolls’ house; the hiding away from Miss Muffet’s spider; the rowing of the boat down the blue carpet that is the endless stream where crocodiles, lions and polar bears lurk – never to be feared; the joy of singing and marching with that Grand Old Duke who for more than a hundred years has been toiling up and down that dratted hill.
According to scientific research, clear and accurate memories fade pretty quickly and, not until we are older might we snatch a quick glimpse of what was – or might have been – well, nearly.
Hopefully we have been fortunate enough to banish into the mists of time memories which are best forgotten. Even more hopefully we may have retained the rosy glow of good memories which help us to continue to BELIEVE in that joy of childhood.
Val Butterworth