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I am the queen of overcompensation, so of course I am all about making sure I conjure up the moments that will eventually become memories. I have very few "great" memories from when I was a kid for lots of reasons, but in part because nobody around me did things that were worth remembering. Every day was a lot like the others and mostly I was on my own to figure out how to fill the hours.

It's not about the Big Things; It's about the little moments that lead to memories that stick. For example, when I think of my grandpa, I think of him in his chair, smoking a cigar, and showing me little seedlings. There was a spring when he started some bean seeds in little clear boxes with moist paper towels. It wasn't a big deal, but I liked it and it stuck. It's what I have left of him all these years later.

When the girls are grown, I hope they often turn to one another and say, "Remember when mom ..." and end up retelling a story that makes them both smile. There's really no way to know if I'm on the right track, but time will tell the tale.

Though, sometimes Alexis gives me a hint about what's to come.

A few Fridays ago, we happened to land near the Farmer's Market at the exact right time. We hadn't been there in a very long time, so there was much excitement when I pulled into the parking lot. Alexis seems to have forgotten that she always called the place "Betchtubles" but that's okay. I will remind her some day. What she did remember was the best place to buy tomatoes, where the place with the great peaches sets up, and how much she neeeeeeeeeds the kettle corn.

She explained it all to Mila as we walked around, even going so far as to hand Mila a $5 bill so she could buy kettle corn all by herself "just like I used to!"

It was a bigger deal when Alexis did it at that age. She was painfully shy, so the notion of interacting with a stranger always took her several minutes to swallow.

Alexis walked around and around, happily chatting the whole time as she explained every little detail to Mila. Somewhere in there, she proclaimed, "This place is my childhood. Aaaaah ... memories!"

She may have sounded like a 90-year old grandma as she said it, but still. I might just be on the right track.

Comments

[Kathy]

You are on the right track. My best friend's mom always took us strawberry picking. We HATED it, HATED IT! But, when we all get together it is the first thing we talk about. 'Remember how your mom always made us go strawberry picking? And that one year we got caught in a thunderstorm?' She used to tell us we were making memories. We never believed her, but she was right - all these years later.