On Memory

It is man’s abil­ity to remem­ber that sets us apart. We are the only species con­cerned with the past. Our mem­o­ries give us voice.
They bear wit­ness to his­tory so that oth­ers might learn.
So they might cel­e­brate our tri­umphs.
And be warned of our failures.

There are many ways to define our frag­ile exis­tence. Many ways to give it mean­ing.
But it is our mem­o­ries that shape its pur­pose and give it con­text.
The pri­vate assort­ment of images, fears, loves, regrets.

For it is the cruel irony of life that we are des­tined to hold the dark with the light,
the good with the evil,
suc­cess with dis­ap­point­ment.
This is what sep­a­rates us, what makes us human.
And in the end, we must fight to hold on to.

- from Heroes Sea­son 2, Episode 8, “Four Months Ago”

1. Soul­mates
2. Mis­takes