A doctor in Vienna, a long time ago, famously claimed that 'neurotics suffer from reminiscences.' It strikes me, this morning, that his statement is ambiguous. I don't think he meant that reminiscing is -- in and of itself -- a cause for psychological disturbance.
No. I think it is quite clear what the Good Dr. Freud meant. It is not the reminiscences that cause depressions and anxieties. Rather, it is the manner in which these memories are utilized to judge and to criticize and to decry the horrors of one's past.
The past week, I had the pleasure of writing a chapter for a series of books to be published on Psychoanalysis and Education. I was asked to think back to the two years that I spent -- nearly 40 years ago -- as a young principal in an inner-city school for disturbed high schoolers. By no means can I recall only positive interactions.
When I took over the school, it was a mess ... with fights, verbal aggression and very poor attendance. But what a wonderful opportunity to think back to a brilliant group of colleagues and a bunch of kids (now in their 50's) who were healthy enough to subliminally realize that the schools they attended before ours was impossibly violent, angry and dirty. The kids figured out a way to get kicked out of their parent schools and come to our safer and -- thanks to the teachers -- loving environment.
Last week, I also got to eat with Marsha and Maxine the Math teacher; Maxine had turned 90 the week before our luncheon.
Perhaps, no one better than Freud realized that we can also pleasure from reminiscences.
I'll write a bit about this ... I hope, tomorrow.
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