What if you tried to learn something by heart again. It is probably 10, 20 or more years since you last did this school exercise. So don’t rush it

You could go back to a poem, a fable or a song that you could once remember easily. First try to find the memory. If there are gaps, then fill them in gradually by going back to the text. Then enjoy just humming the tune or mentally reciting the poem several times during the day. The time will come when you will dare recite it in front of your children or to friends. This success will bring pleasure. You could also continue by working on a recent song or some poetry that you enjoy. Learn it bit by bit. It is better to memorise two lines every day, repeating them several times during the day and savouring them, than whole sonnets that you promptly forget, so that you are discouraged. Don’t forget the actress Suzanne Flon’s advice : “you have to stick to it !”. There is no secret about this method, especially after many years of never learning by heart. Use free moments, in the train, travelling or even standing in a queue, to get into the habit of recalling a poem or a song. The trouble is that it works in the end ! These empty moments become moments of pleasure.

It is very gratifying to feel capable of expanding one’s mind.