more connections in your brain than atoms in the universe

the brain is a wonderous as mystifying thing. not that i have done much study on the topic, but i am amazed at what it can do. how does a mass of material, that sparks with electrical signals, store memories, or transmit answers to questions, or bear original thought? it almost seems like something magical as if from a child's story.

memory is what intrigues me most. in particular, i am in wonder about the ability of the mind to associate sensory experience with memory. i mean certain images, smells, tastes, sounds, and touches draw us back to past times when we perhaps experienced those things before.

last night i went to see the fireworks with two of my roommates. as i watched, memories of watching those same fireworks last year came back to me. who i was with, who i saw, what we did, and even what we ate. but more than that, i remembered how i felt. strangely, my memories exceeded just last year but flashed to prior years. i remembered seeing fireworks with my family in strathroy on different occassions. it was not exactly a pleasant experience to remember, and i don't know why, considering that those memories themselves were pleasant enough. it left me feeling inexplicably lonely, and restless last night.

one new thought came to mind while watching the fireworks: how magnificent it might be to see a celebration in China. perhaps this shall go on the list of things i'd like to experience before i die.