Emily Diao | Week 14: Echoes of Childhood
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Occasionally, I get this sudden urge to stop whatever I’m doing and dig through my things in search of childhood memories. Being a messy person, this can take either a minute or turn into a really long time, but once I do find something, I just sit there and remember.
When I was younger, my parents would put together photo albums filled with pictures of me,—shots of birthdays, vacations, and everyday moments—all carefully slipped into laminated pages. So I usually try to find the photo albums first, and flipping through them almost feels like stepping back into those moments.
Of all the childhood things I held on to, my most treasured possession is this worn-out stuffed dog with a ripped up hat stitched onto its head that is barely hanging on. My parents gifted it to me on my second—or maybe third?— birthday, which I grew really attached to and took it everywhere I went. If I didn’t have it with me or worse, if someone took it away from me I would immediately start crying, and I wouldn’t stop until I got it back.
It’s kind of bittersweet—when we look back at happy childhood memories, there is an underlying sadness, a sense of loss, in knowing that we can never return to them. It makes me wish even more that I could go back in time to relive those moments and cherish them fully.
And even though we have grown up and moved forward, our childhood never truly leaves us, lingering in the things we hold on to. While I can’t return to the carefree years of my life, revisiting them in my memories brings me a sense of comfort.
Hi Emily! Your blog was very relatable. I can definitely resonate with feeling sad due to missing my easygoing childhood, yet gaining comfort from it too. I really liked how you added specific details, like how the head of your stuffed animal was barely stitched on. Like you, I also have mementos from my childhood that bring me good memories. I have a pink blanket that my parents bought for me from the flea market that I still use today. It reminds me of the happy memories of my childhood, while leaving a bittersweet feeling, similar to how you feel about your childhood. Overall, I found your blog really interesting and relatable, and cannot wait to read your next one!
ReplyDeleteHey Emily! I have to admit; I also occasionally discover something really old on my desk, and end up going down a rabbit hole of exploring and remembering memories from a long time ago. The other day, I was cleaning out my desk, and I found my Minecraft guide books which I bought from my school's book fair probably in 4th grade. Seeing them brought back a lot of bittersweet memories; showing it off to my friends, trying to trade it (I had the redstone handbook, and I desperately wanted the combat one), and putting it on display on my bookshelf. While I still don't have any use for the books, they serve as symbols of my childhood, and obviously I am reluctant to let them go. But the beauty and value of memories is revealed in the people we share them with, and how we share them. I'm going to see the Minecraft movie this week; what if I bring my books with me, and who knows, there might be a hopeful kid I could pass my books on to...
ReplyDeleteHi Emily! Similarly, I also imagine memories of my childhood at random times. One thing that really makes me remember these memories is whenever I do something that reminds of something that I have been through when I was younger. An example of this can be when last week I was cleaning my room and I found a stuffed animal under my bed, and I had a rush of memories going through my head. My parents had bought this digital photo frame, so every five seconds it shows a picture of my childhood and many pictures my parents took whenever it was my birthday. I remember seeing a picture of me crying on the frame because I got hurt, and this made me smile. Some days I just sit at this frame and look at it for a while and remember the joyful times I had when I was younger.
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