Sunday Scribblings

Memory is a child walking along a seashore.

You never can tell what small pebble it will pick up

and store away among its treasured things.

~Pierce Harris, Atlanta Journal~

We do not remember days; we remember moments.

~Cesare Pavese, The Burning Brand~

This week's prompt is "earliest memory". I decided to do a timed writing after being totally overwhelmed with memories when I read this! Anyone else find that happened- trying to decide which one to write about??

My earliest memories are of my family and my home, where I grew up. I remember my room, with the brass bed and stitched animals on my wallpaper that I used to trace with my finger when I was trying to sleep. I remember my dad coming home to tell us we had a new baby sister - I can still picture him coming up the front walk! I remember almost being hit by a car when I was about 4 and how scared my mom and grandmother (we called her Gan Gan, for some reason!) were, how that turned to anger and then just big hugs. I just wanted to get across the street to where they were. I remember learning how to read at school, the moment when I could see that c-i-t-y was city. I remember having breakfast at the kitchen table every morning with my brother and my parents, my mom cooking it up. How we used to turn the oven on and open it to warm ourselves up in the winter. I remember so many details of my old house, like it was a close friend. The campus of the private school where I grew up was my playground- riding my "horse" (aka my bike) around, playing soccer every night after school, pretending it was a castle that I was queen of. I remember the big bathtub upstairs. I have memories of playing in the leaf pile we spent days raking up, like a group project. My tree house, which was actually a fort my brother and his friends had built. The line of trees on the soccer field outside my house that I had to learn how to climb- and I did, every single one. I remember playing with my dad and my brother in the living room, my dad showing us how strong he was with his airplane rides. I remember how much music there was (and still is) in our lives, my dad singing badly out of tune with the headphones on, my mom's CBC radio on the weekends, them dancing in the living room to golden oldies like the BeeGees and the Beatles. (My parents say they got married because their record collections complimented each other!) I remember being so active, everyday- playing outside every night we were allowed, playing tennis in the summer, soccer, gymnastics- sports were my strength and somewhere to pour my passions. (I miss this now that it is harder to be fit!) I remember my mom being pregnant with one of my sisters- when she'd lie down for a nap, I'd be on the bed colouring and telling her not to go to sleep, "I'm just resting my eyes" she'd say.

I know my parents had money issues and parental things to deal with and relationship issues, but I am so blessed to have had them both in my life growing up. (and my siblings too!) I've always wanted to have a marriage like they have, to be as good a parent to my own children as they have been (are still being) to me, to all four of us- even with their imperfections and anxieties. I know I've inherited some of them myself, but I've also inherited their positive traits too. I'm lucky to have a childhood I enjoy remembering and love having had the chance to do that today- great prompt ladies!

For other Sunday Scribblings, go here and see what others are remembering.