When you write do a lot of your memories wander in? I call my Mom and ask her if she remembers this or that. She laughs and says, "give me a minute, I need to open the vault." She has a great memory. I'm not talking in regards to her age, just in general. We both have this odd thing about birthdays and remembering dates. I remember birthdays of people I have met and don't see anymore. The don't see involves being military and moving so much. I'm not sure why I remember, but I do. Why do I remember? What impacted me to tuck it away in my vault(memory). Do you remember things, that you don't necessarily try to, just do?!
I wonder do our memories have a connection with sensory overload. Maybe our senses were on full alert, when we gathered and tucked away our thoughts, in our hard drive. I mean vault ;D
How far back can you remember? We hear stories of what we did when we were little. We see photos and home movies? But what memory of being a child is still fully alive in your memories? I remember my Mom and I getting ready for a party. The mantel of the fireplace was decorated with birthday cards and there was music playing. I think I was four. I was dancing, but I had to get my hair done. I have Indian type hair. My mom and grandmother always tried to curl my hair with those pale pink sponge rollers and Dippity Do. Yes, they still make that green goo. Before that, it was something black with bristles they would stick in my hair like pine cones. My hair was always a cause of drama. Mom wanted it long with some wavy or ringlets on the ends. Her MIL wanted it short and curly. Anyway, I am getting dressed up in this gray dress. I called my Mom after having this memory. "Why gray? I look at all the photos of my friends, no one wore gray as a child? What's up with the gray dress? Were you depressed?"
She acts stunned and laughs "No, you had gray eyes till you reached the age of five. They were so different and when you wore gray your eyes were beautiful."
"Really gray eyes? I didn't know that. What color were my eyes when I was born?"
"They were brown, changed to gray and then became dark brown almost black."
I never knew this...So see what memories linger and play with them. Who knows what details you will gather for your writing. I'm still in shock, really gray! Check with your vault, see what happens!
Comments
I like the vault analogy. I have a ton of dates and details stored from when I was younger. Then, somewhere around my first pregnancy, the vault must have gotten full and it takes a great deal of effort to store anything NEWER in memory, but the old stuff is all still there.
turtlememoir-I so agree, some things are best tucked away, as a protective mechanism. I wish I could take some out of my vault and toss them. Guess I need to make new happy memories~ Insightful and well said~
I hope most of your memories are happy ones~
Sherry-I think they were my Nannie Nonnie's. I don't know why they thought silky, fine hair would work. They tried to give me a perm and it didn't take. My hair was tortured, when I was young. Maybe that is why I rebel when my daughter comes at me with curling wands. YOU are funny! No one I'm playing in the attic today. I can't contort my body in half again today. It is the FROG now....
The attic is almost done. Frog and tins in my kitchen ;D need my attention! Yes, I am tucking treasures in each tin. You should see the silk pouring out of my tea pot! I'm not kidding, lol You are funny!
Hart-I don't remember the drama about my eyes. It was all about hair and shoes. I fell off the door step when I was 2yr old (beagle tangled me up in his chain). I had to go to the Dr and get corrective shoes. Mom was sad, because I couldn't wear cute shoes. I don't remember noticing my eyes were different. YOU had a new life to focus on and that new life so changes ours! Thanks for sharing~
Am jealous of your mom's vault.
Terrible about your hair, but I can relate. Mine was stick-straight, too, and my mother was always having someone come over to give me a home perm.
My first salon perm was courtesy of my aunt, and included a great big machine that clamped onto each metal curler. VERY scary. I was 12.
I remember when my bed and my brother's crib were in the same room. I remember running my fingers over my carved headboard, and my fingers still remember the feel of it.
Too bad you were too young to enjoy having grey eyes. You would have loved wearing the grey dress if you knew why.
K
Great post Ella.
Yvonne.