I have been thinking the past few days, how much can anyone remember from the time they are young – like really young – say in elementary school? I am trying to remember particulars of a routine day, and for so many of those instances I draw a blank – like I know I went to elementary school in the morning and then I was back home by noon and then what? What did I do? I know one day a week I had a dance class but then the rest of the days, what did I do?
I remember my mom celebrating my birthdays in a grand manner; I remember for one of my birthdays, I wanted to wear a white flowing dress with a veil (bride’s gown). Living in India and that too a tiny suburb of Mumbai, finding such an outfit for a young girl would have been so difficult. I remember us going to multiple shops and finally finding one. I don’t remember what age did I turn for that celebration but I can still remember how I looked, though I don’t have any snaps here with me of that occasion. But funnily other than this particular birthday, I can’t remember what I wore for my other birthday celebrations.
Another thing I vividly remember when I was around seven years old, it was my uncles’ wedding and I wore “pattu pavadai” for the wedding and 8 fingers rings one adorning each of my finger. For another cousin’s wedding when I was around the same age – I remember wearing a red stitched saree, with tons of flower garlands in my hair. But I don’t remember any days before or after these occasions. Some of the occasions just are stamped into your brain, and so many of them just float away and try as you may you can’t remember.
I was 8 years old when my sister was born, and at school the teacher asked my class mates what was so special about that particular day and a boy loudly stated that my friend’s sister was born. That was special for me, but the teacher had asked that question as that particular date format (dd-mm-yy) was sequential (an increasing sequence). I can’t remember what I learnt that day or any other conversations that happened at school, except for this specific one. I can picture my class room, the teacher, this boy, me in my mind.
Have you seen the Disney Pixar movie “Inside Out”? I loved the concept how one’s experiences turn into memories and how every night they are sent into long-term memory whereas the happy ones or probably the ones that triggered a different response than the routine events are stored in a place in your mind that you could always refer to. This resonated so much with me, I guess that’s the reason some of memories from my younger times are so far out of reach, and some I can remember after years! Why do you think some moments stand out while most just vanish from our minds to be forever forgotten!!
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