“She’ll create long-lasting, life-shaping memories; remember moments with startling accuracy; and correct me when I recall things incorrectly.”
I immediately sent a screenshot of this to my daughter, as she remembers the same events and periods of time through her own lens instead of that of her mother. Ohhhhh, there are terrible fights over dumb stuff like how often she had Mac ‘n cheese from a box and pickles straight from the jar for dinner 😁
But it’s not dumb stuff, really, as my daughter looks back at those dinners with fondness while her mother is horrified others might think she was a bad mom for not feeding her daughter a wholesome meal. In the end, though, both remember the same events correctly, just through a different lens (a time before pictures everywhere... my daughter is 31...)
I find the extra layer of subtext amusing so at least I’m a common enemy for them to bond over.
"But it's not dumb stuff, really." Oh, I love this! I'm certain I've had similar quibbles about childhood memories with my mom. And I love that you're in the middle of it, with your own recollection of the truth.
Welcome back! Love your blog. You won't remember everything, but what you do remember will be all you need. My kids are now 33 and 31, and I still can't get enough of life's wonderful moments.
There's plenty of research on memory that says the more emotional something is the more we remember it. There's also good research saying that we biologically remember the negatives more than the positives, so stopping to really take the good things in for 30 seconds to a minute when they are happening (or after) helps us remember them better.
"And the weeks, months, and years of pandemic life have been increasingly hard to wrap my head around." I still think 2019 was just last year, or that it's March (year unknown), or that when they write about COVID-19 in history textbooks, they will start with Tom Hanks, and that will make sense.
I am genuinely curious about people who have a solid grasp on time now: who understand that is August of 2022. It's not just that time moves faster now that startles me; it's that time *moves*, full stop. What do our brains look like now?
I still know it was March 13, 2020 when they started the lock down here. Timelines are curious things because I had other events happen that have made each of the years clear in there.
My adult children (oxymoron,no?) are unlike most of their peers and hardly ever take photos. I worry that they will regret this later in life when they don't have the photos to remind them of events in their lives. I treasure photos and look back at them frequently. They bring me such great joy!
“She’ll create long-lasting, life-shaping memories; remember moments with startling accuracy; and correct me when I recall things incorrectly.”
I immediately sent a screenshot of this to my daughter, as she remembers the same events and periods of time through her own lens instead of that of her mother. Ohhhhh, there are terrible fights over dumb stuff like how often she had Mac ‘n cheese from a box and pickles straight from the jar for dinner 😁
But it’s not dumb stuff, really, as my daughter looks back at those dinners with fondness while her mother is horrified others might think she was a bad mom for not feeding her daughter a wholesome meal. In the end, though, both remember the same events correctly, just through a different lens (a time before pictures everywhere... my daughter is 31...)
I find the extra layer of subtext amusing so at least I’m a common enemy for them to bond over.
"But it's not dumb stuff, really." Oh, I love this! I'm certain I've had similar quibbles about childhood memories with my mom. And I love that you're in the middle of it, with your own recollection of the truth.
Welcome back! Love your blog. You won't remember everything, but what you do remember will be all you need. My kids are now 33 and 31, and I still can't get enough of life's wonderful moments.
What a comforting thought. Thank you!
There's plenty of research on memory that says the more emotional something is the more we remember it. There's also good research saying that we biologically remember the negatives more than the positives, so stopping to really take the good things in for 30 seconds to a minute when they are happening (or after) helps us remember them better.
It sounds to me like your 6 weeks were lovely!
Thanks, Karen! They really were. And it feels great to be back, too.
"And the weeks, months, and years of pandemic life have been increasingly hard to wrap my head around." I still think 2019 was just last year, or that it's March (year unknown), or that when they write about COVID-19 in history textbooks, they will start with Tom Hanks, and that will make sense.
I am genuinely curious about people who have a solid grasp on time now: who understand that is August of 2022. It's not just that time moves faster now that startles me; it's that time *moves*, full stop. What do our brains look like now?
Yes, that always shocked me after a big loss. How does time keep moving?! The same is absolutely true for the pandemic. You describe it so well!
I still know it was March 13, 2020 when they started the lock down here. Timelines are curious things because I had other events happen that have made each of the years clear in there.
I remember the days leading up to lockdown here in the U.S. The people who thought it would blow over in two weeks, and then the rest of us...
Yeah. I still remember the person who told me things wouldn't feel "normal" until 2024...at the time I thought surely not but now...
My adult children (oxymoron,no?) are unlike most of their peers and hardly ever take photos. I worry that they will regret this later in life when they don't have the photos to remind them of events in their lives. I treasure photos and look back at them frequently. They bring me such great joy!
This was great. Time is moving faster the older I get and I am glad there is scientific proof.
Get in the picture with her! I am sure you do on occasion, but as someone who has ONE photo of myself with my mom, I sure wish I had more!
You are welcome! 💖