When we look back on the years of our lives, the special moments seem to stand out more than the big events. It's those clear moments that we should write about. The snippets of time that stayed with us reveal much about us, the kind of person we are, the parts of life that are important to us.
I could write about my college graduation with facts and figures, the beastly hot day etc. No big deal. But if I write a personal essay about the way my dad's chest puffed out more than usual and the glow in his eyes let me know how proud he was of me as I left the stage with my degree in hand. He, who had only gone as far as having 4 months of high school now had a daughter who was a college grad. That's a moment I'll never forget. I imagine he kept it in a safe spot in his memory bank, too, pulling it out now and then to relive the moment.
I could write about the life event of a first grandchild being born but I would prefer writing about one emotional moment when I picked up my less-than-one-day-old granddaughter, looked into her blue eyes and experienced the most overwhelming emotion in my life. My thought at that split second was This is the child of my child. It was just a flash but has stayed with me. An entire personal essay could be written about that tiny slice of time.
When those special 'memory moments' come back to you, do more than smile and enjoy them. Pounce on them! You can base a story, a poem, a memoir piece or an essay on each one. Show your readers the lesson you learned in that moment. Help them feel the emotion you felt. Trigger moments of your readers' memories with your own story.
Don't neglect the big things in life but please pay very close attention to the little memory moments that define who you are. When one of those moments pops up in your mind, don't just enjoy it. Jot a few notes for a possible piece to write, then go back later and bring the moment to life.
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