I remember...

We've all been there. Sitting in your car, at your job, in your house. Walking in the park, around the block, or strolling arm in arm beneath twinkling city lights. When suddenly, unexpectedly, the world around you ceases to matter.

The past streams over you in a rush, a wave, a feeling of halcyonic nostalgia that thrusts you back into yesteryear. The grind of daily life vanishes in the overpowering wash of sensation from some fond and comforting recollection. This might happen only once every fortnight, every month, every year--but when it happens, you know.

We each have a closet full of childhood memories, those events we can quantify in words and splice into parables that explain with logic and rationality both who we are and what we experienced. But not all memories are created equal. There are some that always remain so strong, so emotive, so utterly ephemeral that they pounce upon us at random and sweep us away like the tide. Here are some of mine:

I remember the mingling aromas of melting snow and warming air that rushed through the house every April when we finally cracked open the windows after long winter ended and the first hints of spring appeared.

I remember laying on a carpet in our basement with thick snows pouring down and blankets of powdery white already covering the land, reading in front of a crackling fire while trying to contain my excitement as I watched the advent calender nearby slowly count down the days until Christmas.

I remember playing in sprinklers and drawing on the driveway with colored chalk while the hot summer sun baked me to a golden tan, and the cold slick of my dog's nose pressing against my hand as he woke me up each morning to go outside and explore.

I remember the rush of wind through my hair as I leaped from the swingset into a pile of fresh-raked autumn leaves.

I remember camping out with tents in the backyard and feeling the blazing heat from the bonfire as we roasted marshmallows, and the overpowering sense of companionship from my friends as we made each other laugh.

Those are some of the things I remember best--just a few of those gale-force recollections that can sweep me out of even the worst moments, and remind me that the only things that matter in life are those precious gifts that we can barely contain with words.

Those are the things that remind us what really matters in this world, and show us just how powerful life can be.

What do you remember?

I often like to recall the smells I grew up with in the 70s. Specifically, the smell of being in a car with the smell of hot vinyl, and gas fumes...good times!

a reply to: JonButtonIII

Interesting thread

For me, I was an army brat (R.A.F.), every time I go to an airport I smell the burnt jet fuel and remember living in Malta as a kid and my dad taking me to work. Watching my hero work, magical times.

The smell of burnt gunpowder reminds me of my service and the loss of a dear friend. A guy I am forever grateful to have been blessed to meet.

This song reminds of an encounter with a young lady that made a boy a man, I wasn't a virgin at the time, but she took me to a whole new level.


Every time I climb on my bike (Triumph Rocket 3) I remember the thrill of being allowed to ride my mums moped around the garden for the first time. Yeah I know but I was very young.

This is the last song I danced to with my estranged daughter, I haven't seen her for 10 years, she was 8, I get to see her again in July

The smell of a thunderstorm approaching reminds me of meeting my wife, and lightning reminds me of our first kiss.

Thanks man

Cody

Nice Op.
S&F
It brought up a few memories for me.

Beautiful !

Everytime when i go to my fathers summer cabin and the lake there...
I remember night fishing in a lake with my father during the midnight sun, a bit foggy close the water line but sky was cloudless my father told me about the battle which was fought in near forest in 1789 and the ghosts that are unrest and still battles there.. it was so silent but i could hear it... it didn´t frighten me
I also remember summer mornings when the air is not warm and feel of moist grass under my bare feets.. and a air which was so fresh.
I remember gathering mushrooms with my father and brother.. me and my brother picked every mushroom we could see and father taught us which are not edible.
The birds, deers, moose who came to drink water from the lake.. at nights i could hear the wolf and owl..
I remember silence and peace

a reply to: cody599
I was an army brat too.. my father was into guerilla warware.. we spent a lot of times in the woods .. lol

a reply to: dollukka

Precious memories dolluka

I'd like to fish that lake, it sounds magical

Cody

a reply to: cody599

Summers.. swimming and fishing.. I love that lake the water is so clear there and it has water springs when you swim to that water is very cold. I often took few potatoes from the potato field and threw them in to the lake and caught them diving.. what a fun summers were !

I being on a family vacation to St. Augustine beach, pouring the rain (bummer for a kid), then "I can see clearly now" starts playing, as the rain stops. Great moment as a kid!

I remember when chocolate was the ultimate goal of my every waking minute and not being old enough to see Big Trouble In Little China on the big screen seemed like the end of my world. Man, I miss being a kid.

Love the fishing with dad stories. My dad was computer guy, army security agency, electronic espionage stuff. Most of our fishing trips started at Kmart with the purchase of some Zebco reels and ended with a great day and no fish.

Grew up on the shore of lake Erie and as kids we spent hours on end in the swamps that bordered the lake. Remember they shut down our swimming park because the lake was so polluted.

Some great memories of travelling with my dad to different cities where he had to fix some store or banks computer systems. This was the mid - late 70s. I remember a lot of "hey kid you can't be back here" and responding "yeah I can, thats my dad"

The perfectly round, white and fluffy dandelion - blowing the seeds and making a wish.

Catching silky white "moneystealers" on the lawn -- and making yet another wish.

Throwing pennies in the fountain - and making more wishes - the big ones.

The low, somehow comforting rumble of a lazy summer evening storm approaching.

The sweet smell of warm, wet earth and grass outside the window on a May morning.

A cardboard box full of fresh, new bitty kittens, all mewing so sweetly.

The smooth, delicious hardness of a buckeye in your palm.

The delightful first cold sip of an icy coke from Red Barn that you share with your two brothers in the back seat of the station wagon.

Greasy, gooey grilled cheese and fries at the diner at Kresge's with your mom out on a "shopping trip" for school clothes.

The squeaky, icy crunch of snow underfoot as you take a walk with dad on a silent winter evening.

The squeak of tennis shoes on the gym floor as you play duck duck goose.

The very first time you see the ocean, hear the gulls, feel the cool sand in the evening under your stubby little toes.

The calming sound of Sunday football games on the old Sony, the clattering of dishes in the kitchen, the purr of the cat next to you -- knowing all was right and safe in your little corner of the world with mom, dad and your pesky brothers.

The sweet and sour smell of your babies, a dash of spitup, a soggy diaper, leftover smear of peach baby food, Johnson's baby shampoo and a bit of baby powder.

a reply to: JonButtonIII

I remember the quietness of the woods, when the years were younger and people scarce to be seen.
I remember the smell of the rain, before a drenching storm.
I remember the sight of my German Shepard almost panting with joy as she pull us on the plastic sled.
I remember my first kiss, and oh so paradoxical bliss & bitterness that followed.
I remember the taste of the wild black raspberries that grew out in the fields.
And funny enough, I remember the first snake I caught, and the first horse leech I discovered in a muddy pool of water (those buggers are nasty - 7 inches long, an inch thick, and it wouldn't let go of my shoe ).

Some memories are still locked away, but those above escaped upon reading.
-fossilera

These are some awesome memories, thanks so much to everyone who responded so far!

Hope I managed to distract you for a few minutes and pull you back to a better place in time.

a reply to: JonButtonIII

Wow! You are an artist with words!!!
That sure dusted off some nice memories for me!

The 'carefreeness' & innocence of childhood.
When Mom & Dad took care of everything,
and it seemed like there were no real problems!

Having the whole summer off & being outside from morning 'til night.
Getting in trouble for not wanting to come in & eat supper.

Riding our bikes for miles, even along the 'highway',
& our parents not having to worry about traffic, kidnappers, molesters...

Scouring the ditches for glass pop bottles to take home & wash,
then turning them in for the deposit to buy candy.

The cousins coming to visit from out of state & being allowed to stay up late.
Catching lightening bugs out in the backyard in the dark, while the grownups talked inside.

All the neighborhood kids getting together after dark to play 'Ghost in the Graveyard'.
Being a little scared of the dark, but not wanting to miss all the fun.

Thunder & lightening storms in the middle of the night,
that shook the house & rattled the windows.
Some so bad that Dad would gather everyone downstairs
away from the windows & anything electrical.

Everyone gathering around the black & white TV to watch the moon walk!
Holding our breaths in case he fell into a bottomless pit of moon dust!!!

Being proud to be an American & thinking the government had your back!
Thinking that if you were good & did what you should,
nothing bad would ever happen to you.

I sure miss being a kid!!!
WOQ

Memories for me, I can't really remember, because I suppress a lot of them.

One that stands out in my mind is being in my backyard, laying on the grass next to the drainpipe because it was thick and soft...then I remember night, and the eye that was in the sky looking down on me... colored like a hologram

I also remember looking out my back window at the hale-bopp comet. Colorado in summer with the huge hogback mountain in front of my uncle's house, the stones so cubical they look like boxes tumbling down the hill.

Summer days spent laying on my yard watching the cloud's while Janet Jackson's Runaway plays on VH1

a reply to: JonButtonIII

Check your u2u's

Cody

I remember the sno-ball stand over on the next block.

All of us neighborhood kids used to ride our bikes over in a huge pack to get sno-balls and play video games.

My favs were a half & half - watermelon and bubble gum - Galaga and that cute red-haired boy who would always snatch the pink plastic flower off of my bike basket.

Oh to be that young and alive again..