I've often been asked if I could wipe the memory would I want to, and I have always said no.

It's not because I don't want to forget it, or because I wouldn't want to keep reliving it... but... everything I have grown from over the past 20 odd yrs has been because of it. If it had never happened, I wouldn't be who I am today... so maybe I would have evolved into being someone not as nice.

It's a bit like if you could go back in time & stop the events.... would you? Where & who would you be now if you could have?

As much as these memories suck big time, they give us a point of reference in our lives. If you forget that point of reference, and as Anthony said... if you smell something & it resorts you to tears.... you wont know why it has had that effect. Which could probably have more dire effects, because you really would think you are going crazy.