Children who have the ability to recall and make sense of memories from daily life can use them to better develop a sense of identity, form relationships and make sound choices in adolescence and adulthood, according to Sue Shellenbarger, creator and writer of the The Wall Street Journal’s Work & Family column. “Our personal memories define who we are. They bond us together,” says Robyn Fivush, a psychology professor at Emory University in Atlanta.

Have we given some thought to the type of memories we are giving the next generation? Where once we could call up the enticing aroma of freshly baked pies from Ouma’s oven, we now have the nondescript smells of countless fast food joints. Are we happy with being remembered as the parents who bought tablets, laptops and TV games? Holidays are being remembered more and for which shopping malls were visited in foreign countries than for the culture, and natural and architectural wonders of those lands.

Playing a game of cricket with Dad in the back yard brings with it the memory of a memorable shot, the frustration of trying to bowl him out, the broken window as a result of a shot that connected. Can the sanitized digital version boast the same intensity of remembering or the skills that were learnt?

Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him counted a child who remembered his deceased parents fondly and sent up a prayer for them as a valuable avenue of continued reward after death. Can we hope to be remembered as special people if we are not leaving behind fond, engraved memories?

When Bilal, the official caller to prayer of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, returned after some time to Madinah following the demise of the Prophet, and once more rendered the call to prayer people started to cry for it reminded them of the early days of Islam. What is remarkable is that those early days were ones of hardship and suffering, yet it was that very sweat and tears which made the memories so precious.

There needs to be a more proactive role in building memories for the next generation or the virtual lives of the movies and digital games might be the only memories our kids can dredge up of their past. History provides a valuable link for continuity of society but it is made in the sandcastles of the beach; not in the virtual world of Minecraft.

Muhammad Badsha