Why we shouldn't be scared to lose old photographs, diaries and some memories

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When it comes to material things, I consider old photographs, journals, and even flash drives and memory cards as the most important items I am most afraid to lose coz they are the last remaining physical proof of our memories with loved ones (unless of course you have backup files on the cloud).  This is true for me - not just at full consciousness, but even at the sub-conscious level as manifested in a dream.  😅

But I read something in "Goodbye, Things" by Fumio Sasaki which made me rethink tabout this fear of losing such sentimental treasures.   The message which struck me wasn't actually by Sasaki but from another Japanese author named Tetsuya who has a book entitled "The Man who do not Possess" (but I think the book is in Japanese coz I tried googling for it and I couldn't find it).  Anyway, Sasaki quoted Tetsuya and it goes:

I don't think there is any relationship between our past and photographs, records and diaries. Even if we were to throw our record and diaries filled with photos of memorable moments, the past continues to exist in our memories. I don't think it's such a big deal to throw away objects.... it is not as if we’re throwing away our past. If we forget a certain memory, then it’s probably something alright for us to forget . . . something unnecessary. All the important memories that are inside us will naturally remain.  It’s the memories we can recall without the aid of objects that are truly important. 

What a beautiful insight, right?  So if one day, we unexpectedly lose our precious photographs, diaries and memory drives, yes, it's going to be really sad but it will be ok coz we still have the memories.  But if eventually we forget some memories, it's still ok coz maybe the reason why those memories didn't stick is because they weren't memorable enough.  In the end, whatever memories remain with us are the most important ones. 😊