Why do things in your past seem larger than life, and bring you more joy or sorrow?

There seem to be many defining moments in one’s past which set the stage for the future. First girl or boyfriend…things your children did which caused you pain or made you smile…family chapters…jobs…even music of a certain genre. I didn’t realize how much so, until landing on fluther.

Why do you suppose things from the past continue to be the backboard from which we measure the rest of our lives?

In many cases, the past seems almost ‘sacred’.