Memories shape who we are and how we see the world. The traditions of childhood and first experiences can bring out many feelings: comfort, fear, excitement, laughter. Pick any two of the events or milestones below and describe them on a piece of paper. Use as much detail as you can remember about the location, who was present, what they looked like and wore, what was said or done, the weather, the time of year, colors or textures you remember, and your feelings and thoughts at the time—and right now. 1. your favorite childhood toy 2. a family tradition 3. your first kiss 4. a childhood home 5. an incident when you were really scared 6. your first "best" friend 7. the birth of a child 8. an early disappointment 9. an unusual teacher 10. a favorite special place or hiding place 11. an early success 12. a special vacation or outing 13. a first day at school 14. a first day on the job Try this with a group of people. Have each person in the group share the events they picked above. Compare experiences and memories. Do people's experiences and the way they remember them seem to reflect their personality, attitudes and expectations of life? In what way? What new details about your own past did you remember after listening to others' memories? Where would we be without memories? Take a little time each day to remember. |