What are your earliest memories?

Greece
September 3, 2012 12:20pm CST
Memories have always interested me. Why do we retain some incidents and completely forget others. Even in families our memories may differ considerably. My earliest memory is standing in my cot with a blanket around my shoulders, an air raid siren wailing and my parents rushing into the room to take me down to the air raid shelter. That was a traumatic moment for me as a small child, perhaps I was 3years old as I was still in a cot. I cannot remember anything beyond my parents coming to get me. Can you remember further back than I can? Perhaps a happier moment than mine. A visit somewhere special, or a birthday even? Cesare Pavese said 'We do not rember days, we remember moments' - would you care to share some early memories with me?
14 responses
@moulee87 (320)
• India
3 Sep 12
Memories are the only thing that make us to smile and shed little tear when we think about the incidents that happened to us. It is not a big deal to keep special events in our mind because our mind automatically stick to the incidents that is really attractive! I do have lots of memories from childhood and I still remember incidents that happened in front of me when I was around 4 years old!
1 person likes this
• Portugal
3 Sep 12
The smile of my grandmother, waiting for me every time I wake up, every time I was coming to home. I really miss those times.
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• Greece
4 Sep 12
It wasn't just a smile was it? It was a smile that said 'I love you' and that is why you remember it so well. A lovely memory, thank you for sharing
@Otanetix (508)
• United States
3 Sep 12
My most earliest memory I can remember when I was attending preschool. For the most part, I was a shy person, especially at 3-4 years old. However, I do remember I was very active both on the playground and in the classroom. Even at that age, I was interested in learning things. At the end of the day, it was customary that the children would take a nap in these nap mats. I distinctively remember myself not wanting to sleep. I was usually the only kid who didn't want to sleep at the end of the day. While my classmates were napping, I was in a different room with a shelf filled with many books. I spent my time waiting for my parents with reading books rather than sleeping. While sleep does help replenish your energy, I did not like sleeping because I was not tired. For me, I only wanted to sleep when I am tired; however, I wanted to learn when I still felt energetic.
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• Greece
4 Sep 12
I wonder if that memory of being a little different to the other children made a lasting impact on your life?
• United States
3 Sep 12
my earliest memory......i don't know what age i was, my grandparents were down visiting and they bought me the fisher price happy people house and hospital. when they were made out of wood and not plastic! i was an only child at that time so i was younger than 5. i had fun playing with that house and hospital. :)
• Greece
4 Sep 12
That's a nice memory, a good idea for a new topic too.
@Shellyann36 (11385)
• United States
4 Sep 12
I have several memories from when I was small. I think most of them were from when I was 2 to 4 years old. Once my aunt made me oatmeal which was too hot so when I ate it I screamed... I remember her telling my Granny "I don't know what's wrong with her its not too hot!" I remember spending lots of time with my Mama walking up and down our driveway picking up neat looking rocks or small chunks of glass. I remember when my Grandpa was sick and we were staying with him and my Grandma (helping her look after him) I wanted to watch Captain Kangaroo and he was not feeling good. He yelled at me. After that I was always afraid of him. It seems that the things that stick in our mind the most are the bad things.
• Greece
4 Sep 12
I think you are right about that, but there have been some good memories in these replies too. It's interesting to know that you remembered your granny's response and felt (reading between the lines) rather indignant even when you were so young!
@fatlex06 (895)
• Philippines
4 Sep 12
Woah. That was so early. I think my earliest childhood memory was when I was 5 years old. I remember my mom going with me at the kindergarten class, and she left me because no mother is allowed inside the class. And when it was recess time, I'm just in one corner waiting for my mom. I also remember that moment when I had poo-poo .
• Greece
4 Sep 12
I remember my first day at school too, I was also five. I can understand why you remembered the 'accident' in your shorts - that would be unforgettable to anyone!
• United States
3 Sep 12
My earliest memory was with my little brother, a shocking experience. I was around 5 years of age and my brother was just 2.5 years of age. Our father was in the other side of the street. Our place back then was a public vehicles passage. I commanded my little brother to ask 10 bucks from our father. My brother just went across the street, without looking left or right for vehicle would pass, and there was a high speed vehicle traversing the street towards my brother! The vehicle made strong stop instantly and our father's friend covered him. He was safe crying and our father got angry to him..... I was speechless at that time... :-| I am reminiscing of that incident and thinking the other side: If my brother were hit by the vehicle, I would have mental disorder thinking of that over and over again T_T
1 person likes this
• Greece
4 Sep 12
That was shocking, no wonder you remembered it, but a disaster was avoided. This was a brave share. Thank you.
@GardenGerty (157671)
• United States
3 Sep 12
My earliest memories are probably also from about three years old. I remember the bedroom furniture at my grandmother's home. I know that sounds strange. All of my very earliest memories seem to be from that location. I do remember an airplane crashing in a field behind our house when I was just over four. Not the crash so much but how mom tried to deal with me and keep me from knowing too much, but to me she was just locking me in my room. I remember some of the things I complained of trying to be allowed to get up. I remember some things I did before I was that old, but living in that house. Things that make no sense when seen from this side of the mirror. For instance, I turned on the water in the sink in my parent's room while they were asleep, then panicked, because I "forgot" how to turn it off. I remember walking or being pushed in a stroller by my mom, and we were at my Aunt and Uncle's house and my cousins were in a double stroller. Again, I must have been around 3.
• Greece
4 Sep 12
You have a lot of memories. the one that made me smile was about forgetting to turn off the water!
@sylvia13 (1850)
• Nelson Bay, Australia
3 Sep 12
I remember being in our flat alone with my sister, who is a couple of years younger than me. My parents had gone out for a walk nearby when suddenly there was a small earthquake! I was scared of course, especially as I had gone to visit some friends in the next door flat, but my parents soon returned, but I have not forgotten that moment! I moved from that flat when I was six years old, so it must have been when I was 4 or 5 years old!
• China
4 Sep 12
I am surprised that you have good memory ,even remember what happened as early as you was 3.Judging by air raid siren,you must be in your 70s and have seen a great deal.Fortunately ,I was born in times of peace and have led a happy life.I have many happy remembrance of my childhood.
@ARIES1973 (11426)
• Legaspi, Philippines
3 Sep 12
Hi friend! The earliest memory that I remember so far was when my mother would leave me to my grandmother when I was 5. There are also some memories beyond that period but not so clear. I can only remember I was looking out of the window but not so sure with the place. My clear memories started when I was already going to school.
• United States
4 Sep 12
My earliest memory was sitting in front of a window rolling a red ball back and forth.. I must have been around two or three.
• Philippines
4 Sep 12
When I am 6 I love to be with my grandmother always, she lives in a farm and my parent in the city. wherever she go I want to be with her, I even skip my elementary schooling twice just to be with her. I don't care leaving my parents just want to be with my grandmother.Because in farm I learned many things, plant rice, corn, palay and ride a carabao eat vegetables. but when I got sick my grandmother told me even though how closed I am to her, when I'm in high fever I kept on calling my mother :).. so a daughter in times of trouble will really seek her mother. speaking of high fever,I'm hallucinating that heaven and earth will come towards me and lock me breaking my whole body. that's me when I have high fever, my father never spank or whip us only my mother if we commit mistakes but when I got high fever at age 7 I'm shouting that heaven and earth will break me down so my father spank me twice. ouchhhh! it hurts me.. and after that Praise God that hallucination never happened again.There's so many great memories during my youngsters and consider this as one of my best. thanks Happy mylotting to all.
4 Sep 12
I was terribly trembling and afraid for the first time our house sway of the intensity 5 earthquake. I thought It was my last! My first thought was to asked God to forgive all my sinfulness and asked Him and Mama Mary to be with them! thinking it was the end of the world.
4 Sep 12
like evry man i have some good and bad earlier memories.how ever by the grace of god i mostly have very pleasent earlier memories.i still have fogy memory of my first birth day.i m the eldest son of my parents and they celibrated the birth day so well that i still feel today.my first educational success in 4th class when i firstt time secure a top position.when i got different toys in the childhood.these are all awsome memories which i cant forget