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Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Remembering Randomly

I haven't written here in for months, but I read a fun exercise over at Coffees and Commutes and couldn't wait to join Christine and her other friends in some memory sharing. 

Remembering.

I remember living beside a brook that flowed into the ocean. My best friend and I used to love jumping across the rocks, trying not to fall in. She had to be extra careful not to get wet because her mom didn’t want her to play around there. My mom didn’t mind.

I remember that same friend and I often taking a rubber dinghy out into the ocean. One time we went out too far and the waves were big and choppy. I was terrified. We had to paddle against the wind and it took forever to get back home. I don’t think we took the dinghy out again after that trip.

I remember hiding from my mom under the clothes racks every time we went to a department store. I remember getting lost several times and the look of panic on my mother’s face when she would finally find me.

I remember music class in elementary school. I loved learning new songs and I can still recall many that we used to sing. I have taught my children several of them.

I remember playing with my friends in kindergarten and looking at a broken white crayon. It was about an inch long and I decided to stick it in my nose. I remember the panic and embarrassment I felt when I couldn’t immediately get it out.

I remember the first time I spoke to my now-husband. It was through the glass doors of the chicken joint where I was working at the time. His eyes twinkled and his smile was amazing. I got instant butterflies.

I remember getting the call from my husband about the car accident. I don’t think I will ever forget that moment and the fear I had as I drove to the hospital.

I remember watching the last episode of Seinfeld and getting teary-eyed as they played Green Day’s “Time of Your Life”.


Be sure to check out the other links over at Christine's place to read some really great memories.

10 comments:

  1. Shannon, this is beautiful. Thank you for coming out to post this.

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  2. Look at you lady!!! So glad you did.

    The scary thing? I remember that my kids run and hide in clothes racks now. You know what they say about payback. :-)

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  3. Thanks, Amber!

    Christine, I know all about payback... the same reason why my mother hoped I'd have a girl!

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  4. Oh these are great - I totally have the same associations with Green Day's Time of my Life! And I remember that in my elementary school music class the teacher banned velcro sneakers because they were All The Rage (dating myself) and everyone would zip them open and shut and make so much noise it distracted us all!
    xox

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  5. Your first line is exquisite, "I remember living by a brook that flowed into the ocean..." Loved that. So glad you joined in!

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  6. Wow, Shannon, these are all such vivid memories. I could picture each one of them. Such wonderful details.

    I've found that memory can immediately conjure up emotion -- for the writer, obviously -- but for the reader (if described well) as we picture similar events from our own pasts.

    Love this exercise!

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  7. Love the white crayon story and how you met your husband. So good to hear your voice again!

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  8. Something about those first few graphs felt so ... Canadian? Maybe what I think of as Canadian? Maybe the rubber dinghy and the brook (which I'd call a stream).

    Love each of these memories, and the memories they dredge up in me.

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  9. Hey Shannon - I'm just back from a long blogging break myself and wanted to stop by to say hello.

    I loved reading your memories - your details were so well chosen and very evocative. Glad you decided to take a break from your break and hope you'll write again if and when you're ready.

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  10. I can't believe you actually look a dinghy into the ocean - it sounds like something from a children's novel!

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