IN later years it becomes an interesting exercise to occasionally test memory recall. It is surprising just how much your memory has stored over the years. Many people will tell you that they have some difficulty in remembering what happened yesterday.

However, if they were to sit down and retrace, hour by hour, they would be surprised at the level of memory recall. For example they will recall people that they have spoken to, their names and probably what clothes they were wearing.

Having gone back a few hours in your memory your mind will then engage in greater depth research'. Within five or ten minutes, or so, your memory faculties will be fully in gear. Your memory will then start taking you down memory lane'.

You may ask why it is important to test our memory from time to time. The obvious answer is that without memory we could not progress through life. From conception a person develops memory and every physical activity is recorded. Reaction to pain features high on the memory's list of priority recall storage. Conversely, pleasurable experiences are logged into our memory cells - being cuddled by mother or father.

It is not suggested that you would recall the first time you were cuddled after birth, but it is likely that you may recall when you were cuddled when you were a child - and you felt pleasure from such an embrace.

Moving on down memory lane, year by year, you may recall you're first days at infant school and the names of some of the friends you made at school. Try a little harder and you will again picture them in your mind, indeed you may recall the clothes that they were wearing at that time. You will also be able to remember your teacher and the teachers that followed the first year at school.

Most people will be surprised just how efficient the memory is. It just needs using more frequently that is if you intend to visit memory lane on a regular basis.

Our memory also helps us develop other skills in our daily lives. What we learnt at school for example - the acquisition of skills. How to get along with people a particularly important function in our daily lives. Yes, it is our memory that we have to thank.

You will find it very rewarding to sit down quietly and travel back through the years, year by year, day by day and experience just how efficient your memory is.

RAYMOND ANGEL, Southampton.