According to research on ‘autobiographical memory’ and ‘narrative identity’, meaningful personal objects help people preserve a sense of self across different stages of life. Psychologist ‘Dr. Dan P. McAdams’, whose work focuses on narrative identity, explains that people naturally build their identity by connecting important life experiences into an ongoing life story.
Similarly, developmental psychologists suggest that treasured childhood possessions can serve as powerful memory cues, allowing people to reconnect with important emotions, values, and experiences that helped shape who they became. So, keeping a favourite childhood book isn’t necessarily about refusing to grow up. It may simply be a quiet way of remembering where your story began.
