there is nothing that imprints a thing so vividly on our memory as the desire to forget it.

I loved her like elephants like remembering stuff. Those bastards just won’t let me forget and move on.

Writers remember everything...especially the hurts. Strip a writer to the buff, point to the scars, and he'll tell you the story of each small one. From the big ones you get novels. A little talent is a nice thing to have if you want to be a writer, but the only real requirement is the ability to remember the story of every scar.
Art consists of the persistence of memory.

Elephants can remember, but we are human beings and mercifully human beings can forget.

I've a grand memory for forgetting,

"Why," I asked, "since you live your wisdom, why don't you write your memoirs? — or simply," I went on, seeing him smile, "what you remember of your travels?"

"Because I don't want to remember," he answered. "If I did, I might keep the future from happening by letting the past encroach upon it. I create each hour's newness by forgetting yesterday completely. Having been happy is never enough for me. I don't believe in dead things."

[. . .]

"If only our wretched brains could really embalm our memories! But memories don't keep well. The delicate ones wither, the voluptuous ones rot, the most delicious ones are the most dangerous later on. The things you repent were delicious once..."

You know that the things you put it your head stay there, right?'
'Yeah. But you remember some things, don't you?'
'Yeah. You remember the things you want to forget and forget the things you want to remember.

There are things you forget naturally-computer passwords, your father's continuing relationship with life-and then there are things you can't forget that you wish you could.

Memories are what you no longer want to remember.

Rien n'imprime si vivement quelque chose à notre souvenance que le désir de l'oublier.

You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget.

Yeah, yeah, you have the memory of an elephant. Or you’re so smart that you remember everything, right? WRONG. Not writing down your thoughts, ideas, tasks, etc, is stupid. Why? Because you’re wasting a lot of brain power when you rely on your memory. When you write everything down, you can use your brainpower for other things. Like solving problems. That’s actually useful and advances your career.

MEMORY'S SO <b>
<i>TREACHEROUS.</i>
</b> ONE MOMENT YOU'RE LOST IN A <b>
<i>CARNIVAL</i>
</b> OF <b>
<i>DELIGHTS,</i>
</b> WITH POIGNANT CHILDHOOD <b>
<i>AROMAS</i>
</b>, THE FLASHING NEON OF <b>
<i>PUBERTY,</i>
</b> ALL THAT SENTIMENTAL <b>
<i>CANDY-FLOSS</i>
</b>...

THE <b>
<i>NEXT</i>
</b>, IT LEADS YOU SOMEWHERE YOU DON'T WANT TO <b>GO...</b>

...SOMEWHERE <b>
<i>DARK</i>
</b> AND <b>
<i>COLD,</i>
</b> FILLED WITH THE DAMP, AMBIGUOUS SHAPES OF THINKS YOU'D HOPED WERE <b>
<i>FORGOTTEN.</i>
</b>

<b>
<i>MEMORIES</i>
</b> CAN BE <b>
<i>VILE, REPULSIVE</i>
</b> LITTLE <b>
<i>BRUTES.</i>
</b> LIKE <b>
<i>CHILDREN,</i>
</b> I SUPPOSE. <b>
<i>HAHA.</i>
</b>

BUT CAN WE LIVE <b>
<i>WITHOUT</i>
</b> THEM? <b>
<i>MEMORIES</i>
</b> ARE WHAT OUR <b>
<i>REASON</i>
</b> IS BASED UPON. IF WE CAN'T <b>
<i>FACE</i>
</b> THEM, WE DENY REASON ITSELF!

ALGHOUGH, WHY <b>
<i>NOT?</i>
</b> WE AREN'T <b>
<i>CONTRACTUALLY TIED DOWN</i>
</b> TO <b>
<i>RATIONALITY!</i>
</b>

THERE <b>
<i>IS</i>
</b> NO <b>
<i>SANITY CLAUSE!</i>
</b>

SO WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF LOCKED ONTO AN UNPLEASANT TRAIN OF THOUGHT, HEADING FOR THE PLACES IN YOUR PAST WHERE THE SCREAMING IS <b>
<i>UNBEARABLE,</i>
</b> REMEMBER THERE'S ALWAYS <b>
<i>MADNESS.</i>
</b>

<b>
<i>MADNESS</i>
</b> IS THE <b>
<i>EMERGENCY EXIT...</i>
</b>

YOU CAN JUST STEP <b>
<i>OUTSIDE,</i>
</b> AND CLOSE THE DOOR ON ALL THOSE DREADFUL THINGS THAT HAPPENED. YOU CAN LOCK THEM <b>
<i>AWAY...</i>
</b>

FOREVER.

Nothing fixes a thing so intensely in the memory as the wish to forget it.