The Wounded Memory: Why Can't We Forget?
The article addresses a recurring question after wars: why can't we forget? It explains that the brain stores memories associated with intense fear differently, making them more vivid. It emphasizes that healing does not mean erasing memory, but changing its impact. In Gaza, the problem is that the memories haven't ended at all; the demolished house and repeated loss keep the past constantly present, so demanding people to forget is unrealistic and unfair.
The editorial addresses a question that recurs after wars and disasters: why can't we forget? The author explains that the answer is not human weakness, but part of how the brain works when facing extreme danger. The brain does not store all memories the same way; moments linked to intense fear or life-threatening situations are treated differently, remaining more vivid and prone to resurfacing. It notes that memory does not just recall the event but also recreates the sensation, such as racing heart, confusion, smells, and sounds. The article discusses why memories return uninvited, explaining that the brain connects danger with anything resembling it, like a sound, smell, place, or specific date. In prolonged wars, memory never gets a chance to calm down, so memories pile up and it becomes hard for the mind to say 'it's over.' It asserts that forgetting is not healing; healing means not being a prisoner of what you remember. The article offers factors that help memory heal, such as feeling safe, having people who listen without judgment, opportunities to express emotions, and an environment that does not reproduce trauma. In Gaza, the problem is not that people remember, but that many memories have not ended at all; the demolished house, repeated loss, and fear that returns with each escalation keep the past constantly present. It concludes that the wounded memory is not a sign of weakness, but a testament that a person went through an experience beyond their normal capacity to endure, and the most important question is not why we don't forget, but how to give our memory a chance to remain a witness to what happened without remaining its prisoner.