Memories

If you could have any sort of magical item from the Harry Potter series, what would you choose? 

I've thought about this for a while.  There are many wonderful magical items in the Harry Potter Universe.  And at times I've wanted all of them.  A flying car to get out of heavy traffic and get to places faster?  Heck yes.  A Rememberall?  Well, actually, taking the worlds Mr. Longbottom, "trouble is, I can't remember what I've forgotten".  Any sort of Bertie Bots, Chocolate Frogs, Acid Pops, or any of the other myriads of candy?  Absolutely.  

But I think I would honestly choose a Pensive, and the ability to save memories and live through them again.  

I know, I'm only 20 1/2 years old.  I'm not like Dumbledore, a man with crowded thoughts and a lifetime of memories.  And I also know that the wise Professor mostly used his to look back through thoughts of greatest importance to his current cause.  And Snape (at least in the books) only used his so Harry wouldn't see his most embarrassing memory on accident, though we can see how well that worked out for him.

But I think I would use mine a bit differently than good old Dumbles.  I would save the little memories I am prone to forget.  

The late nights I've sat in a car with my friends playing "Would you Rather".  The midnight Cookout milkshake runs.  The Sunday Afternoons after church sitting in the quad doing homework.  The WAY TOO LATE but hilarious adventures of the Knights of Club Jack [AKA late night study sessions at my university's Library, for those who are confused].  The quick drives to get a Roo Cup refill with my sister.  The rides with one or both of my parents to and from school.  Those moments of the day when I take a deep breath and just thank God for the little things and realize how I'm blessed.  

And that's just in the past two years of college.  That's not even counting all of the wonderful, small but fantastic moments from the rest of my life.  Some of which are blurred with time, or forgotten altogether.  

And I think, how many of these fleeting, small but lovely memories will I manage to forget over my life?  Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to extract them while they're fresh, and then store them away for safe keeping.

Then, when I'm particularly sad or lonely or stressed, I can pick a small vial of shimmering memory, pour it gently into the bowl, and sink into a moment not-so-long gone, remembering a simple time when I remembered I was loved, blessed, and happily enjoying life.