Moments Become Memories to Write About

I like this quote from Dr. Seuss. It bears reading more than once. "Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory." How many moments in our lives do become memories?

I have been asked more than once how I can remember and write about incidents in my childhood. Maybe I'm blessed with an excellent memory, or, more likely, I remember the parts of my life that greatly impressed me. 

When I think back to my childhood, I see the places, the people, and even some conversations very clearly. I feel very fortunate in being able to do so, as it has acted as inspiration for many of the stories I've written about my family. And now, for my present day family. 

Some things in life act as triggers for our memories. Smells will do it for many. When you get a whiff of cinnamon, it could take you back to your grandmother's kitchen and the cinnamon rolls she was known for. Smell chlorine at a pool today, and it may bring memories of your long-ago neighborhood pool and all the kids you knew there. What if something scary happened at the pool? Smelling chlorine could easily bring back the uneasy memory. 

Taste is a sense that can trigger a memory. I once used a vile tasting cough syrup when I had the flu. One taste sent me traveling back to the small apartment where I grew up and my mother insisting I take the cough syrup on the spoon she was holding close to my mouth. It smelled awful and tasted even worse. I resisted, but she won.

Other things trigger our memories--a photo, a certain kind of tree, the sound of church bells and more. 

When our memories come back to us from those special moments we experienced, as writers, we need to act. A story idea has been given to us, so it's time to write the story. Write it for your Family Stories book, write it to submit for publication. Write it to keep that memory alive. 

When sending a note of sympathy to a grieving family member or friend, I often add in my note on the card a simple sentence:  Treasure the memories. I believe that the many memories we have of a family member or friend truly are treasures. Have you ever been asked to write a eulogy? So many memories are recalled and shared with others. What a wonderful way to help us honor and remember the deceased person. 

One  moment which became a special memory for me. When our first grandchild was born, we went to the hospital to see her. I picked her up and held her close. I looked down at that sweet little face, and my prevailing thought was 'this is the child of my child.' I was nearly overcome with emotion as I stood there cradling our granddaughter. The very emotional moment remains a treasured memory for me, even 25 years later. 

Enjoy the moments that become memories. Better yet, write about them in a journal or a story or a memoir piece. Capture them for posterity and perhaps for readers near and far. 

A writer friend is celebrating the publication on October 24th of her memoir about growing up mid-century. Her book is filled with those moments that turned into special memories. Ann Vigola Anderson's Posts of a Mid-Century Kid might trigger a few special memories of your own. Find her book at Amazon.