When you think of the moments of profound love in your life, what comes to mind? Perhaps you picture the people you were with or the cacophony of emotions – the butterflies, the warmth or the excitement. You can probably also pinpoint the locations like the key to a map, remembering the places you got engaged, spent summers picnicking with friends or adopted your pet at the local shelter.
Our memories are often tied to our surroundings – the place you grew up, your favorite vacation spot, the place you got married that you now call home. As we move through spaces, we mentally move through moments of our lives. These associations are commonly referred to as “cognitive maps,” which the American Psychological Association defines as “a mental understanding of an environment, formed through trial and error as well as observation.”
In short, humans and other animals combine space and stimuli to orient themselves in the world, utilizing memories like your first kiss or the moment you met your best friend to give meaning to all the physical spaces and symbols those worlds can encompass.
For Valentine's Day, Crosscut is doing its own psychogeographic cartography, creating a Locations of Love map for readers to share their memories of special places across the city. We want to hear your stories about all types of relationships – from partners to friends, family and self-love – and where they bloomed or were reborn. Just keep the submissions PG, please.
Fill out the form below to add your memory to the map. Include your name, the location and a description of what the place means to you. This map will be made public on Valentine's Day, and all submissions will be reviewed by the Crosscut team prior to being featured. Submissions are due Monday, Feb. 13.
