“The Action and Reaction of Memories”—The Mechanics of Memory That Act on the Heart, Rebound, and Shape Life [Column] The Science of Thought (No. 98)

“Don't be swayed by the past, turn it into strength—a new way of perceiving memories”

🧠 Three things you can learn in this column

• ① Life becomes easier when you can organize memories by “structure”
  → By breaking them down into four factors—events, emotions, meaning, and temporal processing—you can calmly re-examine the workings of your own heart without being swayed by memories.

• ② Emotional fluctuations become easier to handle when you know about immediate and delayed effects
  → If you understand that both sudden emotional stirrings and the gradual influence of value-based habits are effects of memories, you can calmly distance yourself from them.

• ③ The meaning assigned to the past can be updated at any time
  → If you choose to reinterpret failures and regrets, the reaction of memories will lighten, and the past will turn into “strength” for the present and future.

🟨 Prologue | Memories do not just remain, they work

1. The true nature of a “fleeting moment”

The voice of someone calling out at a bus stop on the way home from school.
The scent of the air after rain drifting in the twilight.
A piece of old music heard by chance.
In such moments, the heart sometimes stirs unexpectedly.
I cannot explain the reason well.
But something is certainly beginning to move inside my chest.

Nostalgia, joy, sadness, and sometimes a pain that tightens the chest.
These are all proof that memories have been acting upon the heart.
Memories are not just things tucked away in the drawers of the mind.
They are living in a more vivid form, secretly influencing the heart even in this very moment.

2. A new understanding opened by the perspective of action and reaction

The law of action and reaction written in physics textbooks.
The idea that for every force, there is an equal and opposite force acting upon it.
If you push a wall, the wall pushes back with the same force.
What if such a simple and universal law actually applied to memories as well?

For example, a happy memory lightens the heart in an instant.
But right behind it, a loneliness that “I can never go back” or a sense of emptiness from comparing the past to the present may appear.
Conversely, bitter memories not only remain as scars but can also provide lessons or caution to avoid the same pain next time.

Memories have an “action” that applies force to the heart and a “reaction” that creates a rebound according to that force, embedded in an invisible form.
If you remain unaware of this, your heart will be swayed by that mechanics without you knowing.

3. The purpose of this column

In this column, we will re-examine memories not as “records of the past” or “things that are just nostalgic,” but as more dynamic entities—a “mechanical phenomenon” that continues to influence the heart.

Whether it is a good memory or a bitter one, there is always a force pushing the heart and a reaction that rebounds. I would like to explore how to face memories while breaking down that structure and sometimes organizing it as simply as a mathematical formula.

Knowing the true nature of those moments when the heart stirs might be a hint for living more freely in the present without being bound by the past.
From here on, I would like to touch upon that mechanism together.

🔷 Chapter 1 | The Factorization of Memories: A Blueprint for Structure and Influence

1. Memories are made of four factors

Memories are not just fragments of recollection.
If you observe their true nature a bit calmly, a surprisingly simple structure emerges.

First, I would like to organize the four factors of memory.

① Factor 1: "Event (E)"

This is the fact that actually occurred.
An elementary school graduation ceremony, a view from a trip, a parting with someone, or a trivial failure or success.
At the core of every memory, there is always some kind of "event".

② Factor 2: "Emotional Intensity (S)"

Even with the same event, if your emotions are not stirred, it will not remain strongly as a memory. Joy, regret, loneliness, surprise.
How much your heart was moved determines the vividness of the memory.

③ Factor 3: "Meaning (M)"
How you interpreted that event.
"That was a failure," "But thinking about it now, it was an important experience"—the meaning changes over time.

④ Factor 4: "Processing over Time (ΔT)"
As time passes, memories are embellished, fade, or conversely, are idealized.
Time itself becomes an element that processes memories.

By multiplying these, the overall picture of a memory can be expressed mathematically.

$${O(t) = E × S × M(t) × ΔT}$$

Here,

• $${O(t)}$$ is the total of the memory at time $${t}$$,

• $${E}$$ is the event,

• $${S}$$ is the emotional intensity,

• $${M(t)}$$ is the meaning that changes over time,

• $${ΔT}$$ is the influence of the passage of time.

It becomes clear that memories are not just "records of events," but things where emotions, meaning, and time are intricately intertwined.

2. Immediate and delayed effects: Influence that changes on the time axis

The influence that memories have on the heart can be broadly divided into two types based on the time axis.

1. Immediate effects.

Tears welling up the moment you smell a nostalgic scent, or your heart racing when you hear music from the past.
These reactions demonstrate that memories possess the power to "instantly stir the heart."
Through sensory triggers, memories act on the present moment, moving the heart in an instant.

2. Delayed effects

There are also types of memories that work more quietly and gradually.
Childhood environments, past human relationships, and experiences accumulated over a long period.
These sink into the depths of consciousness, but they certainly influence unconscious behavioral patterns, values, and life choices.

Immediate memories are like a "momentary switch" for the heart.
Delayed memories are the "strata of the inner self" formed without one realizing it.

Neither can be taken lightly.
In fact, isn't it often the less visible, delayed memories that largely determine the direction of our lives?

3. A Mathematical Model of the Action and Reaction of Memories

From here, let's look more concretely at the dynamics of the "action" and "reaction" of memories.

Memories do not simply remain in the heart; they exert an action ( $${A(t)}$$ ) on the current heart. Expressed as a mathematical formula, it looks like this.

$${\frac{dA(t)}{dt} = \frac{\partial \left( E \times S \times M(t) \times \Delta T \right)}{\partial t}}$$

This formula represents how the totality of memories ($${O(t)}$$) changes over time and how it exerts action on the heart.

• $${\frac{dA(t)}{dt} }$$ is the "instantaneous rate of change" of the influence that memories have on the heart

• $${\frac{∂M(t)}{∂t}}$$ is particularly important, as how the meaning changes over time determines the magnitude of the heart's fluctuation

For example, as long as a past failure is interpreted as "just regret," the memory will continue to exert a negative action.
However, when the interpretation changes to "it was a necessary stepping stone," the same memory begins to possess a different power.

And the action of memory is always accompanied by a rebound—that is, a reaction.
This can also be shown simply in mathematical terms.

$${R(t) = -k × A(t)}$$

Here,

• $${R(t)}$$ is the reaction,

• $${k}$$ is the reaction coefficient (which changes depending on personality and environment),

• $${A(t)}$$ is the quantity of action.

For example, while happy memories can make the heart feel positive, the loneliness or sadness of thinking, "I can never go back to those days," can also surge into the heart like a reaction.
When bitter memories cause emotional pain, that pain can also protect you in a reactive way, manifesting as learning or caution.

Memories are not just mirrors reflecting the past.
They exert force on the heart, simultaneously creating a recoil, and in that repetition, you are shaped.

Just by being aware of this "memory dynamics mechanism," you can avoid being tossed about by the past and find it a little easier to live freely in the present.
In the next chapter, I would like to delve deeper into this perspective by life stage.

🔷 Chapter 2 | By Life Stage: The Force Memories Exert on the Heart and the Recoil

1. Childhood: Foundational Memories and Invisible Assumptions

The action and reaction of memories occur at every stage of life, but childhood memories seem to have particularly deep roots.
This is because memories from this period quietly create "life's preconditions" that we cannot even fully consciously perceive.

For example, time spent in the garden with grandparents you loved dearly when you were young.
The sense of security and the memory of being cared for at that time will have an unconscious influence on whether you can trust people later on.
Conversely, the experience of being repeatedly yelled at or hurt will surely place a filter on your heart that says, "The world is dangerous," without you even realizing it.

What is interesting is that even if memories from this period do not remain as clear images or words, they are firmly accumulated as emotions and physical sensations.
Like invisible foundation work, everything is built upon them.

2. Youth and Adolescence: Memories of Self-Image, Challenges, and Confusion

As you reach adolescence, the quality of your memories changes.
Experiences during this period, when self-consciousness sprouts and you begin to think about "who I am," leave strong actions and reactions that persist long after.

For example, the experience of singing your heart out on the stage at a school festival.
For those who felt, "I was nervous, but I'm glad I did it," that successful experience becomes the foundation of their self-confidence.
On the other hand, for those who have the memory of failing on the same stage and being laughed at, that pain can become a brake that inhibits their actions.

Also, memories of romance and friendship are vivid during this period.
The experience of falling in love with someone and being betrayed or rejected carves both action and reaction into the heart.
If you think, "I don't want to get hurt again," you distance yourself; if you think, "I want to do better next time," it becomes energy to take on challenges.

This age group also struggles with the gap between ideals and reality.
By comparing the "shining self" in their memories with their current reality, feelings of self-denial may grow.
But conversely, the memories of small successes and failures accumulated while wandering will surely eventually shape the contours of "who you are."

Memories continue to act not only as a privilege of youth but as an "invisible teacher" in the process of growth.

3. Prime of Life and Middle Age: Redefinition, Conservation, and Re-editing of Accumulations

Once you have been in society for a few years or have a family, the role of memories changes again.
Past experiences surface as an "accumulation," which supports you while sometimes becoming a conservative framework.

For example, when considering a job change, those who think, "I was able to jump into a new environment before, so I'll be fine this time too," are being pushed forward by memories of past challenges.
On the other hand, those who think, "I failed and suffered back then, so I'll pass this time," are likely using the same memory as a restrictive framework.

This period is a major crossroads for how you redefine the past.
Past heartbreaks, professional setbacks, and partings with family—even such bitter memories can sometimes have their meaning updated over time as "necessary milestones that shaped who I am."

Conversely, when the meaning assigned to them becomes fixed, memories continue to remain as 'ghosts of past successes' or 'shackles of failure'.
Whether you remain bound to the past, thinking 'the younger days were better,' or re-edit it to believe 'there are things I can do precisely because I am here now,' depends on how you utilize your memories.

Memories gain weight as they accumulate.
But that weight can become either a foundation for the future or a chain to the past.
Which way it tilts depends on you.

4. Old Age: The Action and Reaction of Editing Memories and Summarizing Life

As you approach the end of life, the accumulation of memories rises to the surface of consciousness again in the form of 'looking back'.
During this period, how you 'edit' your memories is deeply connected to your peace of mind.

For example, when talking with an old friend and reminiscing about the time spent together, some people can think, 'It was a good life,' while others are dominated by regret, thinking, 'I should have done more of this.'

What is interesting is that even with the same memories, changing their interpretation or meaning seems to change the level of peace of mind in one's later years.
Failures from youth might be accepted now as, 'That is why I am who I am today.'
Conversely, no matter how brilliant the past was, if you convince yourself that 'nothing is left,' memories become a source of pain.

The aspect of transmission is also important.
Memories are not just your own; they gain new value by being passed on to family and the next generation.
The next generation may find hints within photos, stories, and casual words.

Old age is a time for editing memories while simultaneously being conscious of the 'end'.
However, how you welcome that end depends on the meaning you have assigned to the memories you have accumulated so far.
Whether the past becomes a 'burden' or 'sustenance'—that choice is, surprisingly, left in your own hands until the very end.

🔷 Chapter 4 | Three Practical Examples for Becoming Conscious of the Dynamics of Memory

Memories are not just things to be tucked away in the past; they act on the heart and create rebounds in this very moment.
If you can understand that structure and choose to reassign meaning, the past should become an ally to your present and future.

So, how can you specifically apply the dynamics of memory to your daily life?
Here, I would like to introduce three simple practical examples that anyone can do.

1. The habit of noting down 'moments when your heart was moved'

In daily life, there are times when your heart is stirred at casual moments.
Nostalgia, loneliness, joy, restlessness.
In many cases, these are signs that memories are acting and a reaction is being created.

I recommend simply noting down those moments.
It can be in a smartphone memo app or on the edge of a notebook.
'My chest tightened at the scent of the sunset.'
'I almost cried at old music.'

Just by writing down such a phrase, the dynamics of your own heart will gradually become visible.
It is the first step toward observing their influence rather than being unconsciously swayed by memories.
Moving your hand and putting it into words helps your brain store that episode.

2. Putting the 'meaning' of memories into words

For memories, the meaning attached to them has a greater impact on the heart than the event itself.
And that meaning can be updated as much as you like over time.

For example, if you interpret a past failure as 'I am a useless person,' the memory becomes a burden.
But just by putting it into words like, 'Because of that experience, I was able to make a different choice next time,' the direction of the action changes.

If it is difficult to say it out loud, writing it in a notebook is fine.
'Such and such event = it has such and such meaning for me'

By repeating this simple task, you can consciously turn the power of memories into a positive force.

3. Having a moment to be conscious of 're-editing the accumulation'

Life's milestones or times when you are feeling lost are the perfect opportunities to re-edit your accumulation of memories.
This does not mean conveniently rewriting past events, but rather updating your perspective and, if necessary, adding new meaning to them.

Specifically, try asking yourself the following questions:

• What memories have influenced these values and choices?

• What meaning do those memories hold for me now?

• How can I reinterpret that experience from a new perspective?

By making these questions a habit, you can use your accumulation of memories as a 'foundation' rather than a 'burden'.
In particular, developing this habit of re-editing before reaching old age or advanced old age may lead significantly to peace of mind.

Memories act upon the mind and continue to create rebounds even without you being aware of it.
That is precisely why you can understand their structure and, through simple practice, gradually turn them into 'your allies'.

Small habits reconnect the past, present, and future, gradually softening and organizing your life.

🔷 Chapter 4 | Turning Memories into 'Power': The Art of Awareness and Choice

1. How to rethink the unconscious reaction of memories

The troublesome thing about memories is that they bind your mind and actions unconsciously.
For example, if you feel 'afraid of speaking in front of others' without knowing why, it is often because a past embarrassing experience or a memory of failure is lurking behind it.

What is interesting is that most of these reactions are mistaken for 'one's personality' or 'limitations of ability' if one is not conscious of them.
Many of the things you are convinced of, such as 'I am this kind of person,' may simply be the unconscious influence of an accumulation of memories.

What is needed here is to turn your attention to these unconscious reactions.
Stop and ask yourself, 'Wait, why do I feel this way?' or 'Where do this fear and discomfort come from?'

When you do, surprisingly old memories may surface.
The memory of being embarrassed when you stumbled over your words during a recital as a child.
The experience of being betrayed by a friend.
Even if they seem unrelated to the events right in front of you, they are firmly creating reactions deep within your mind.

Rethinking means bringing the 'true nature of these invisible forces' to light and updating their meaning if necessary.
Even if you cannot change the memories themselves, you can choose again the message you receive from them.

2. The habit of being aware of immediate emotional swings

Among the actions and reactions of memories, the immediate effects appear frequently in daily life.
A certain scent, music, or landscape.
They shake the heart in an instant, evoking nostalgia, sadness, and sometimes inexplicable irritation or anxiety.

In many cases, that emotional fluctuation is processed below the level of consciousness, and why we feel the way we do at that moment is overlooked.
However, that is precisely where the 'gateway to the action' of memories is hidden.

For example, the moment you find a manga you used to read often at a bookstore you stopped by on your way home from work, your heart warms up.
Or, you might feel like crying when you hear a nostalgic song on a street corner.
Noticing these immediate emotional reactions is the first step toward turning memories into 'power'.

It is not difficult to notice them.
You just need to recognize, 'My heart just moved.'
If you can consciously realize, 'This is the action of the past,' at the moment your emotions ripple, you will be able to handle their influence selectively instead of being swayed by your memories.

Once you develop such a habit, the action of memories changes from a mere emotional runaway into a sign for understanding yourself.

3. To make use of the accumulation of delayed effects

On the other hand, memories with delayed effects have a quieter and more deep-rooted influence.
These do not usually rise to the surface of consciousness, but they gradually act upon us during life's milestones or moments of major decision-making.

For example, when you think about changing jobs, the background to your unconscious feeling that 'stability is best' might be the memory of your family struggling financially when you were young.
Or, behind the urge to 'take on a challenge,' there might be a successful experience from your youth quietly pushing you forward.

Memories with delayed effects shape the foundation of your 'individuality' and 'view of life' over a long period of time.
That is precisely why, in order to make use of that accumulation, you need to stop occasionally and re-examine the lines that connect the past to the present.

Specifically, at every milestone in life, you should try asking yourself these questions.

• What memories are in the background of your values and choices?

• Is the meaning you assign to those memories positive or negative for your current self?

• If necessary, to what extent can you update that interpretation?

This task is not easy, and it does not necessarily yield an answer immediately.
However, facing past memories and re-editing their meaning becomes a foundation for living more freely in the future.

In this era of the 100-year life, the influence of memories with delayed effects is particularly significant.
As we age, the accumulation of memories becomes denser, and its quality should determine the stability of our hearts and the ease of living in our later years.

Instead of leaving the past as something that is simply 'over and done with',the perspective of re-utilizing it as a resource for the present and futureis the technique for turning memories into 'power'.

And there is never a single correct answer to this.
Only a flexible attitude of continuing to re-choose and update the meaning will turn the fluctuations of the heart's action and reaction into your ally.

🔷 Summary Chapter | Making the Mechanics of Memory Your Ally

1. Memories are not 'things left behind in the past'

When hearing the word 'memory,' many people likely have an image of 'things already finished' or 'distant recollections'.
But in reality, memories do not remain left behind in the past.

Whenever your heart is stirred by nostalgic music or a past failure suddenly comes to mind, memories act upon the present, influencing your heart and actions.
Whether they are good memories or bitter ones, if you are not conscious of their power, they will simply become forces that toss your emotions around.
However, if you understand their structure and choose to re-assign meaning to them, memories transform into 'resources' for living your life better in the present.

Memories continue to work quietly in the depths of your heart even now.
You cannot change past events.
However, their influence can be rewritten as much as you like, depending on how you choose to proceed from here.

2. The Recoil Is a Sign of Growth and a New Beginning

Memories are always accompanied by a reaction alongside their action.
There is sadness behind joy, and there is learning after a bitter experience.
If you push this recoil away as something negative, memories turn into mere 'pain' or 'attachment to the past'.

But this recoil is actually a sign of growth and a new beginning.
The fact that your heart is shaken is proof that you are still trying to change.
If you can calmly observe that swaying instead of being tossed about by memories, and connect it to new actions and choices, the past will become not just a record, but a 'dynamic mechanical device' that shapes who you are.

There is no need to fight the past.
Just feel the sway and choose again how to use that force.
As long as you can do that, you can always adjust your life's trajectory just a little.

3. Mathematical Understanding and Application to Life

There is a reason why I have organized the structure of memories in the form of factorization and mathematical formulas.
It is to help you look at the movements of your own heart more calmly by grasping complex things simply.

The basic formula representing the totality of memory was this.

$${O(t) = E × S × M(t) × ΔT}$$

Events $${(E)}$$, emotional intensity $${(S)}$$, meaning $${(M)}$$, and the processing of time elapsed $${(ΔT)}$$ are multiplied to form the current memory $${(O(t))}$$.
What is important here is that meaning $${(M)}$$ and time processing $${(ΔT)}$$ are 'changeable elements'.

Furthermore, the instantaneous action on the heart could be expressed by differentiation.

$${\frac{dA(t)}{dt} = \frac{\partial \left( E \times S \times M(t) \times \Delta T \right)}{\partial t}}$$

This formula shows that if the meaning of a memory changes, the way the heart sways also changes.
And the reaction can be controlled in the same way.

$${R(t) = -k × A(t)}$$

The reaction will not become zero, but its degree of influence can be changed.
This is because the coefficient (k) can be adjusted by your thinking habits and mental flexibility.

Try bringing this mathematical perspective into your daily life.
When the past shakes your heart, simply being aware of the factors and dynamics behind it will turn memories into your 'allies'.
By replacing emotions with mathematics, it should also help you look at your feelings calmly.

Memories are not ornaments of the past.
Within the system of life, they constantly act on the heart, create reactions, and continue to update you while swaying.
That is why the technique of understanding, re-choosing, and utilizing those dynamics becomes a weapon for living your long life ahead with resilience.

Something like an afterword

The reason I wanted to write this column is that I have been remembering the past quite often lately.
It is not that anything major has happened in particular.
It is just that in the fleeting moments of daily life, old scenery and someone's words have been coming back to me suddenly more often.

It might be because of being in my 50s, or perhaps my heart just wants to pause for a moment in these rapidly changing times.
At such times, I felt like organizing this strange sensation occurring within me a little more.

The reason I thought to connect the "law of action and reaction" I learned in school long ago with memories is likely because I am writing this Science of Thought column.
I suspect that the movements of the human heart are surprisingly similar to that mechanism.
I believe that memories are not just the past; they quietly move us by applying force to our current hearts or, conversely, by recoiling.

This column was written based on such small realizations and the swaying of my own heart.
If those who read this also experience similar actions and recoils of memory, perhaps by being a little more conscious of this dynamic, daily life might become a little easier to live.
I have compiled this piece with that thought in mind.

Profile | Kazuomi Matsunaga

🧭Thinking Navigator

Biography:Graduated from Kyushu University, Faculty of Engineering (Materials Engineering) => Engineer at a metal materials manufacturer in the Chukyo region (Production Technology) => Advertising sales for a local free paper in Nagasaki Prefecture => University staff member (← Currently here). A person in their 50s living in Nagasaki Prefecture. Both children have left home to attend university, and I am living with my wife.
I am a writer who lets my thoughts play daily at the intersection of "questions" and "curiosity." Recently, I have been writing about my own unique perspectives on themes such as education, stories, psychology, AI, and design, centered on the serialized column "The Science of Thought" series. I am exploring "free design of knowledge" that goes beyond existing frameworks. My motto is "Imagination opens up the world."
In my professional life, while working in university and education-related fields, I value carefully observing the moments when "people start to like something" and the scenes where "questions sprout."
🧭 I would be happy if I could deliver articles that leave you with one "new perspective" after reading them.
📮 Impressions and messages of support are always welcome!