On the history of memory.

I've shared this with a couple people lately but I thought its worth writing about.

I have clear memories of as far back as 3 years old. Not many of course, but I have many specific and detailed memories where my parents were not present and are not from pictures seen later or stories told about me. Many of them are from the 2-3 year old sunday school at Ganson St. Baptist Church where I grew up in Jackson, MI.

And it occured to me that my daughter is already well past that point. Caleb is closing in on the age that I remember from. From now on anything they do could become a lasting memory. Hanah still talks about the Christmas before last, and her 3 year birthday party, as well as other things from a year or more ago. It could be she'll still remember when she's thirty!

We've had a rough couple of days lately. We've all been sick, coupled uncooperative children who won't fall asleep before midnight, and have lost tempers more than once. These days too, could become lasting memories. Though I don't have many memories of bad days (truth is I don't think there were many bad days growing up from my childs eye view) its interesting to think that at such an early age events big or small may be carried around the rest of their lives. For my own part it is the remembering that has caused some of these early events to shape my life, as much or more than the events themselves.

CS