Maps of Memory

December 8, 2025

Do you ever feel like we change the things that make us happy? It’s not something we do on purpose; it just happens. Some people say that life is all about change, and we have to learn to adapt to it. While this might sound negative or scary, it isn’t always that way.

I remember a time when I loved painting. I would spend hours working on projects, but eventually, I stopped altogether. I think I may have given it up because I wanted to switch to a different hobby, or perhaps I simply didn’t have the time or energy for it anymore. It felt strange not to search for ‘easy drawings for beginners’ on Google and scroll through hundreds of images until I found the perfect one. Still, it felt good to explore new hobbies. 

Despite this transition, I discovered that new experiences soon came into my life. For example, I visited Delhi, and it was exciting to explore places I had never heard of before. While exploring the city was thrilling, I also found comfort in being at home when no one else was around. I realized that I enjoy my own company and keeping myself occupied with a good book. This made me recognize that while I miss painting, the new hobbies I’ve discovered are not so bad; in fact, they might even be better than what I had before.

Then there was an unexpected holiday. My family traveled from Bali to Vietnam to Singapore on paper, but we ultimately decided it would be better to revisit the places we used to go and meet old friends. We visited my father’s hometown, Bhopal, where we had also lived. The roads, our old house, the aromas, and the vibe evoked a powerful sense of nostalgia for all of us. I remembered being in second grade, and how, every day after school, I would wave to my dog, who looked down at me from a hole in the balcony, waiting for me to come home. Now, looking up at the same building felt like I was reliving the fond memories.

Thus began my journey of exploring new places and revisiting old ones, not just to relive memories but to enjoy the nostalgia they brought.

Traveling made me realize that change can be positive. While it often brings scary and uncomfortable feelings, it can also introduce new and exciting experiences into our lives. Change encourages me to step out of my comfort zone occasionally and helps us create new ones. It can be as small as shifting from reading fiction to exploring the self-help genre, or as significant as starting college. Ultimately, change is what taught me the most valuable lessons.

Saumyaa Gupta

I am Saumyaa Gupta, an 18 year old. I am driven by curiosity and a love for understanding how things and people work.

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