Memories, Watercolor Memories

I am surrounded by memories in this room. They were not created here, for the most part, merely transplanted from their respective origins and placed in this shrine to what was, the things that have thus far come to pass. Each photograph has a story, a story of which I am a part in a small way, either by my participation or the lack thereof. For example, my darling Clark Gable is occupying a place on my window. Now, I've never met the dear departed Mr. Gable (much to my eternal chagrin), but since I sang a solo devoted to him in my last high school concert I believe we have developed something of a rapport.
Every knickknack, every candle means something. Each is a part of me. Yet each serves as a reminder that much as I miss that world and as many times as I visit it, I can never really belong to it again. The thought occurred to me as I was walking off campus this afternoon, headed for my car. Passing through the halls of C building was as natural today as passing through the halls of Midview was on any other day in the last five years. I have transplanted myself.
Part of me wants to pack up all of the memories. As the song goes, "Memories light the corners of my mind...memories of the way we were..." That girl is gone, or has become a part of the one sitting in front of the screen now. Still, I hesitate. That is because I don't want to have a dull and boring room, lol. The decor is flavored with the familiar. It helps me cope. And that's the part of me that wants to hang on with everything I have to the things that are long past.
But I have a new present in front of me. I have new friends that will never supplant the old but still in their own ways are just as important. I have new goals and new dreams, new wishes and a new understanding of myself. So the memories will stay, and I will add on to them. Much as I may want to sometimes, I cannot forget where I've been, or I will forget where I'm going.