My mom shared an article with me about a man who had amnesia and has no previous memory. How sad. It made me appreciate all the memories I have. Of course I all remember life's defining moments- my graduations from high school and college, numerous vacations, our wedding day, (and seeing my husband for the first time that day at the end of the aisle...it still makes me giddy!!), giving birth to my beautiful baby girl and those precious first moments with this little person that was made with love and was (still is!) so, so wanted. But there are all those other memories too... the lesser important moments that are a part of my history, like toting my little brother around in our two seater tricycle, and riding my bike for the first time. Stretching our arms around this giant tree near our house with my mom and brother as in the photo below:
Of course my youngest memories are with my family who are still a huge part of my life. "Sledding" down my grandma's stairs with my cousin on mattresses, sleeping in my grandma's camper and being scared even though we were 10 feet from the house, the squishinesh of my grandpa's thumb because he got it stuck in an elevator, going to museums with my mom and having Reading Corners. Then there was the time my brother and I went swimming in a ditch of melted snow with our snowsuits on and pulled each other in the wagon behind our bikes. There were the times we got each other in trouble and the time we stuck by and defended each other.
Jump ahead several years and life gets more complex - There are the practical jokes, the first dates, running a 5:25 minute mile and breaking the school record then losing focus and not being close to that again, being the "new kid", learning what it is like to lose someone close to you and how to pick yourself up and move on, the awkward adolscent years, the laughter, the tears, the dificult decisions I've made about jobs (never easy), love (I think everyone should experience breaking up with someone and being dumped as both are achingly painful) and friendships...
And now that I am a parent, my litthe girl gives me gifts every day whether a cuddle, a smile or something new that she learned. As she learns more and more each day, I can barely keep up.
All of my memories are gifts that come to me when something I do or see serves as a reminder and the memories come flooding back. I don't want to forget anything and love to reminisce. This is why I scrapbook and journal. As much as I think I will remember everything, the reality is that is impossible as EVERY DAY will be a memory and you just never know what each day holds.
~Angela
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